Crystal Palace Seek First Points Against Fulham as Injuries Pile Up

Crystal Palace step into Craven Cottage on Saturday still searching for their first win – and their first point – of the new Premier League season, with Pierre Sage already feeling the weight of an unforgiving start to life in England.

Two games, two defeats, six goals conceded. It has been brutal. A 2–0 loss away to Everton was followed by a sobering 4–1 home defeat to Manchester City, a result that exposed Palace’s defensive frailties and left them rooted near the bottom before the campaign has even found its rhythm.

The numbers sting. Six shipped in two matches, and nothing to show at the other end but an own goal. For all of Sage’s ideas, his side have yet to score for themselves. The lack of cutting edge up front is no longer a concern on the horizon; it is the central problem of his opening weeks.

Sage’s selection headache grows

If the performances so far have been troubling, the team news makes the task at Fulham even more daunting.

Jean-Philippe Mateta, the focal point of Palace’s attack, is out for around three weeks with a hamstring injury. Take away a struggling forward line’s main striker and the picture darkens quickly.

Ismaïla Sarr is missing as well. A groin issue has sidelined the winger, who has not trained after a collapsed move to Liverpool. What might have been a fresh start has turned into a spell in the treatment room.

At the back, there is no quick fix either. Chadi Riad remains a long-term absentee with a serious knee injury, removing another option from a defence that has already looked fragile.

Sage, still searching for his first Premier League point, must now patch together a side without key pieces in both penalty areas.

New faces ready to step in

The one glimmer for Palace comes from the late transfer business. Sage does at least have new blood to turn to.

Ben Chilwell, Honest Ahanor, Quinten Timber and Darío Osorio have all trained with the first team and are fully available. They arrive at a time when opportunity is wide open.

Osorio, in particular, is expected to be involved early. With attacking options thin, the wide player is strongly tipped to see minutes as Sage tries to inject pace and invention into a blunt frontline.

The predicted XI underlines the scale of the reshuffle. Palace could line up with Henderson in goal behind a back three of Canvot, Richards and Tomiyasu. Khalaili, Kamada, Wharton and Mitchell are expected to form the midfield band, with McNeil, Larsen and Pino tasked with finally giving Palace an attacking spark.

It is a side that blends familiar names with fresh arrivals, and it may need to gel quickly in hostile surroundings.

Match details

Fulham vs Crystal Palace kicks off at 3pm BST on Saturday, 5 September at Craven Cottage.

The game will not be televised in the UK because of the 3pm blackout rule, so Palace’s search for a first win under Sage will unfold away from the cameras.

The question now is simple: does this trip to the Cottage mark the start of a recovery, or the deepening of an early-season crisis?