Date: Monday, October 21 Venue: Selhurst Park Kick-Off: 20:00 Crystal Palace and Fulham will be looking to kick-start their league campaigns by picking up a much-needed three points in tonight's Premier League clash at Selhurst Park.
Team News
Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway has a fully-fit squad to select from ahead of tonight's visit of Fulham. Yannick Bolasie could be handed his first league start after the winger came off the bench in the 3-1 defeat to Liverpool before the international break. Fulham could welcome Scott Parker back into the side after the midfielder returned to full training following a calf injury, while defender Aaron Hughes is also in contention having overcome a thigh problem. Adel Taarabt is also fit following the recent internationals. (BBC)
Key Stats
This is only the third top-flight fixture between the two clubs. Palace won 2-0 at home in the Premier League in October 2004 before losing 3-1 at Fulham on New Year's Day 2005. Palace haven't won at home against the Cottagers since that victory in 2004 (D5, L4). The Eagles have lost six of their seven Premier League matches and failed to score in four of them. Fulham ended a barren run of one point from five matches with victory over Stoke in their last fixture.
When it comes to London derbies, this one is a rarity. It has been nine seasons now since this fixture was last contested, while this campaign marks only the second time that Crystal Palace and Fulham have been in the same division at the same time. Another rarity is winning a game - and that goes for both of these two sides. Newly-promoted Palace currently occupy a relegation slot having lost six of their seven league games so far - while Fulham are hardly firing on all cylinders themselves. The Cottagers ended a barren run of one point from five matches with victory over Stoke in their last fixture, having hurtled toward the relegation zone themselves. With Palace and Fulham sitting in a respective 19th and 17th place in the table ahead of this fixture, it is evident both are desperate for the three points that could kick-start their seasons. The victory Fulham enjoyed prior to the international break was a welcome relief for Martin Jol's side, and I expect them to follow that up with another win here. And that means more misery for Palace. Prediction: 0-2
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
