Key Points
- Crystal Palace beat Fulham 3-2 at Craven Cottage to secure their first Premier League win under new manager Pierre Sage.
- Left-back Tyrick Mitchell scored both equalisers as Palace came back from behind twice.
- Substitute Ben Chilwell volleyed in the 77th-minute winner shortly after entering the match.
- Fulham manager Álvaro Arbeloa suffered his third straight league defeat, leaving his team without a point this season.
- Josh King opened the scoring for Fulham in the 11th minute before Mitchell equalised in the 35th. César Palacios restored Fulham’s lead in the 42nd minute, Mitchell made it 2-2 in the 54th, and Chilwell scored the final goal.
Crystal Palace (South London News) September 5, 2026 – Crystal Palace claimed their first Premier League victory under Pierre Sage with a dramatic 3-2 comeback against Fulham at Craven Cottage. The Eagles fell behind twice but refused to stay down, with Tyrick Mitchell scoring both equalisers before Ben Chilwell completed the turnaround on his Palace return.
How did Crystal Palace fight back at Craven Cottage?
As reported by The Independent, the match began with immediate pressure from the home side as Josh King opened the scoring for Fulham in the 11th minute. Palace attempted to respond through determined ground work from summer signing Axel Disasi, who worked the ball to Chris Richards, but his 18th-minute effort was denied by Bernd Leno. Defensive blocks from Palace newcomer Anan Khalaili protected Dean Henderson’s goal before Richards blocked a long-range effort from Gonzalo García.
Palace found their first equalizer in the 35th minute when Daichi Kamada passed to Yéremi Pino, who spotted Tyrick Mitchell on the left side. Mitchell held off former teammate Joachim Andersen and slotted his effort inside the near post.
Fulham quickly retook the lead three minutes before half-time. King beat Richards on the left wing and delivered a low cross into the penalty area. Henderson palmed away an initial backheel attempt from García, but young Spanish midfielder César Palacios followed up to score with a low finish. Palace appealed for a penalty shortly before the break following a challenge on Eddie Nketiah, but VAR declined to intervene.
As detailed by Sofascore, Palace leveled the match for a second time nine minutes after the restart. Mitchell embarked on a run down the left, and after an attempted clearance by García bounced favourably back into his path, Mitchell bundled the ball over the line in the 54th minute. Henderson subsequently produced two key saves to deny Palacios and Oscar Bobb before Palacios was substituted for Sander Berge in the 62nd minute.
The decisive moment arrived in the 77th minute following the introduction of Ben Chilwell from the substitutes’ bench. Khalaili was played through on goal and collided with Leno, leaving the loose ball clear for Chilwell to volley into the bottom corner. Despite late Fulham pressure and an extended stoppage-time period, Palace’s defensive unit held firm to secure the three points.
As tracked by Sofascore’s match data, Fulham controlled 65% of overall possession and attempted 25 shots compared to Palace’s 10, generating an expected goals (xG) figure of 3.13 against Palace’s 1.97. However, Palace generated a higher expected goals on target (xGOT) total of 2.17 to 1.70, creating 6 big chances and converting 3. Defensively, Palace recorded 30 clearances, won 64% of aerial duels, and limited Fulham to a 39% dribble success rate.
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What is the background of this development?
Pierre Sage took charge of Crystal Palace entering the 2026/27 campaign following structural management changes, overseeing an extensive summer recruitment drive that introduced 11 new signings to Selhurst Park, including Axel Disasi and Anan Khalaili. Ben Chilwell re-joined the South London club earlier in the week, making his second debut as a second-half substitute at Craven Cottage. Prior to this fixture, Palace had been searching for their first league victory of the campaign. Fulham, under head coach Álvaro Arbeloa, entered the match seeking to stabilize their defensive setup after opening the season with consecutive losses.
How will this result affect both clubs and their supporters?
For Crystal Palace, this inaugural victory under Pierre Sage provides momentum and validates the club’s active summer transfer strategy. The immediate goalscoring impact of Ben Chilwell offers depth along the left flank, relieving full-time defensive burdens from Tyrick Mitchell while providing tactical flexibility. The three points move Palace away from early-season relegation discussions, instilling confidence ahead of their upcoming fixtures.
Conversely, the result increases immediate pressure on Fulham manager Álvaro Arbeloa and his squad. With three consecutive defeats to open the season, Fulham’s coaching staff faces scrutiny regarding defensive transition play and chance conversion despite territorial dominance. Fulham supporters will expect adjustments in midfield structure and defensive organization to halt their sliding form before the gap to mid-table position widens further.
