Crystal Palace Seek First Points Against Fulham
Crystal Palace head to Craven Cottage on Saturday still searching for their first win – and first point – of the new Premier League season, as Pierre Sage’s reign begins under heavy strain.
Two games, two defeats, six goals conceded. The numbers are already unforgiving. A 2–0 loss at Everton on the opening weekend was followed by a bruising 4–1 home defeat to Manchester City, exposing a fragile back line and an attack still struggling to find any kind of rhythm.
The most damning detail? Palace’s only goal so far has been an own goal. No Palace player has scored under Sage yet, a stark reminder of the cutting edge that has gone missing just as the club tries to bed in a new manager and a new way of playing.
Sage hit by early injury storm
If the results have been rough, the team news is even harsher.
Sage goes into the Fulham clash with a heavily depleted squad and a centrepiece of his attack already ruled out. Star striker Jean-Philippe Mateta faces around three weeks on the sidelines after picking up a hamstring injury, stripping Palace of their primary focal point up front at a time when goals are at a premium.
Ismaïla Sarr is also unavailable. The winger is nursing a groin problem and has missed recent training sessions, his absence coming on the back of a collapsed transfer move to Liverpool that has only added to the sense of disruption around Palace’s forward options.
At the back, there is no quick fix either. Defender Chadi Riad remains a long-term absentee with a serious knee injury, denying Sage another option as he tries to plug the leaks in a defence that has already been breached six times.
The injuries leave Palace stretched in both boxes. They need solidity. They need a spark. They will have to find both without several of their most dangerous players.
New faces ready to step in
Amid the setbacks, Sage does at least have fresh blood to call on.
Ben Chilwell, Honest Ahanor, Quinten Timber and Darío Osorio have all been training with the first team and are fully eligible to feature at Craven Cottage. Their arrival offers Sage the chance to reshape his side quickly, rather than waiting for a slow evolution over months.
Osorio, in particular, stands out as a likely early contributor. The wide player is strongly tipped for minutes on the flank, where Palace are suddenly light and desperately in need of pace, direct running and any hint of end product.
These are not luxury additions anymore. They are necessities. Sage may have to lean on them sooner than planned.
How Palace could line up
Given the injuries and the new arrivals, Palace’s XI could have a very different feel on Saturday.
A possible starting lineup for the Eagles is:
Henderson; Canvot, Richards, Tomiyasu; Khalaili, Kamada, Wharton, Mitchell; McNeil, Larsen, Pino.
It is a side that suggests a back three with wing-backs, a packed midfield and a fluid front line asked to compensate for the absence of a recognised, in-form centre-forward. The shape also underlines Sage’s need to tighten up defensively while still finding a way to carry a threat in transition.
With no margin for error after two straight defeats, every selection call carries weight.
Kick-off details
Fulham vs Crystal Palace kicks off at 3pm BST on Saturday, 5 September.
Because of the 3pm blackout rule in the UK, the match will not be televised domestically. For Palace supporters, that means relying on updates rather than live pictures as they wait to see whether Sage can finally put his first points on the board.
Two games in, the table already makes uncomfortable reading. By Saturday evening, we will know whether this is just a stuttering start – or the first signs of a season spent looking over their shoulders.
