Palace fight back twice to sink Fulham as Chilwell makes instant impact

Palace came from behind twice to claim their first Premier League victory of the season, while Fulham were left with a third consecutive defeat to open the campaign.

Both sides knew the importance of making a fast start after difficult opening matches under new managers, and Fulham were the sharper team early on.

Match highlight

Alvaro Arbeloa’s side took the lead in the 11th minute. Josh King struck low from inside the area, and his effort took a deflection before flying beyond Dean Henderson.

Palace thought they had responded only 3 minutes later, but Daichi Kamada’s well-taken finish was ruled out for a tight offside.

Chris Richards forced Bernd Leno into an excellent save with an effort from the edge of the area, continuing Palace’s strong attacking record at Craven Cottage, where they had scored at least twice in 7 of their previous 8 visits.

Fulham nearly doubled their lead when Timothy Castagne met the ball first time, but Henderson produced a superb save to keep Palace alive.

In the 35th minute, Tyrick Mitchell levelled the score with a powerful finish at Leno’s near post.

Fulham regained the lead before the interval, though. Cesar Palacios reacted fastest to score his first league goal after Henderson had saved Gonzalo Garcia’s initial effort.

The home side carried that momentum into the second half, and Palacios should have made it 3-1 when he fired narrowly wide from close range.

In the 54th minute, Mitchell got a fortunate touch that sent the ball into the net, bringing Palace level for a second time and sparking celebrations among the travelling fans.

The match remained open through the final half-hour. Henderson made another important save to deny Oscar Bobb as Fulham tried to regain control.

With 15 minutes left, Palace manager Pierre Sage turned to Will Hughes and Ben Chilwell in search of a winner.

Chilwell delivered immediately. The defender scored his first goal since May 2025, striking a superb volley from a loose ball inside the box to complete Palace’s comeback.

Fulham pushed hard for a late equaliser through Rodrigo Muniz and Ryan Sessegnon, but Palace held firm to secure a fourth consecutive head-to-head win at Craven Cottage.

For Fulham, it is a troubling start: they have now lost their first 3 Premier League matches for only the third time in club history.