Report: Clinical Palace see off Fulham to extend superb away run

Summary

• Fulham kick-off, with Palace looking to make it nine games unbeaten away from home in the Premier League
• 3: Mateta shoots into the side netting as Palace create the first clear-cut chance of the day
• 17: Iwobi fires volley off-target from just outside the box
• 24: Eze forces a good save from Fulham keeper Leno with a dipping shot from distance
• 35 -  GOAL: Palace take the lead through an own goal, when Hughes’ corner is diverted in off the head of Anderson
• 39: Eze again goes close, shooting just wide from the edge of the area with Leno beaten
• HT: Fulham 0-1 Palace
• 54: Mateta has the ball in the net, but a VAR review rules the Palace forward was just offside
• 66 – GOAL: Muñoz slams home for Palace after a brilliant counter-attack, in front of the away support
• 70: Mateta is denied by Leno after a clever pass from Eze
• FT: Fulham 0-2 Palace

The Eagles extended our club-record unbeaten run on the road to nine Premier League matches, with a convincing display – solid at the back and clinical in front of goal.

It could have been 3-0 only for a Jean-Philippe Mateta effort to be disallowed following a tight VAR review for offside, not long after half-time. The clean sheet means it is now five away games in the Premier League without conceding for Oliver Glasner's side who move onto 33 points.

Having made one sole change from the side that started against Everton – with Ebere Eze returning to the starting XI – Glasner will have been delighted to see the Eagles make a fast start.

Only a few minutes in, Jean-Philippe Mateta had his first sight of goal, after a clever pass from Tyrick Mitchell sent him scampering away. On this occasion, he could only hit the side netting, but it was a warning sign for Fulham that Palace were here to play on the front foot.

Fulham did also have moments of attacking promise, but rarely troubled Dean Henderson in goal.

The only effort of note in the first twenty minutes from the hosts, came when Alex Iwobi’s volley from the edge of the box was hopelessly off-target. It was Palace who took the initiative, Ebere Eze stinging the gloves of Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno twice in quick succession, with the second from a free-kick.

And it was a set-piece that would prove the route to the Eagles’ opening goal.

Will Hughes’ excellent corner kick caused chaos at Fulham’s front post, with the ball diverted into the net to send the away end into raptures. Maxence Lacroix ran-off in celebration, and was close to heading home, although the last touch actually came from former Palace player Joachim Andersen.

The goal, even if a tad fortunate, only seemed to spur Palace on. Eze again very nearly made it 2-0 only a minute after the opener, dragging a low shot just wide of the post.

Daniel Muñoz then managed to get on the end of another well-worked set-piece, flicking the ball towards the Fulham goal only for a last-ditch clearance to deny the Eagles.

It was a controlled opening 45 minutes from Glasner’s team, who were good value for the lead. Hughes played the ball forward to Eze, who managed to flick the ball round the corner and into the Fulham box.

Mateta did the rest with a cool finish beyond Leno, celebrating in front of a bouncing away end. Sadly, VAR cut short the celebrations, with the Frenchman ruled to be marginally offside, although it was tough to tell either way in real time.

Despite that blow, Palace continued to pile on the pressure. Another Hughes corner nearly provided the Eagles second of the afternoon.

This time Lacroix got clean contact but Leno kept it out, before Lerma’s volley from close range was well blocked.

Eze was also still causing problems every time he got the ball, with one excellent charge down the left wing nearly resulting in a goal for Mateta, only for Leno to intercept the cross.

Eventually Glasner’s side would make their pressure tell. A flying counter-attack saw Mateta charging towards the Fulham defence with Palace shirts to his left and right.

He chose to pass to his right, with the ball reaching wing-back Muñoz. Keeping his calm, he took a clever touch before slamming the ball home from a tight angle in front of a jubilant away end.

Palace now looked rampant, Eze picking out Mateta in the 70th minute, only for Leno to make the save that kept the hosts in the contest.

Adam Wharton continued his return from injury in the closing stages replacing the excellent Jefferson Lerma for the final 15 minutes.

A raft of substitutes from both teams saw the game fizzle out, but it didn't matter to Palace who stayed calm and composed at the back to register a well-earned clean sheet.

Eight minutes of injury time came without any real scares as the Eagles closed out a vital win to move us onto 33 points with 12 games remaining this season.

The win ensured Palace have won consecutive London derbies on the road in a top-flight campaign for the first time in the 21st century – back-to-back away victories at Wimbledon and Spurs in 1997/98 the last time the Eagles had achieved this feat.

Palace: Henderson (GK), Richards, Lacroix, Guéhi, Muñoz, Mitchell, Lerma (Wharton, 81), Hughes (Devenny, 90), Eze (Chilwell, 90), Sarr (Kamada, 75), Mateta.

Subs: Turner (GK), Clyne, Kporha, Esse, Nketiah.

Fulham: Leno (GK), Robinson, Bassey, Andersen, Castagne (Diop, 80), Berge (Cairney, Willian, 80), Lukic, Iwobi (Muniz, 80), Smith Rowe (Pereira, 58), Traore, Jimenez.

Subs: Benda (GK), Reed, Cuenca, Sessegnon.

AS IT HAPPENED