Crystal Palace 1-1 Fulham: Tom Cairney goal earns point for Cottagers
Tom Cairney (right) had been on the pitch for only 12 minutes when he equalised
Palace without a conquest in six matches in all competitions
A brilliant goal from Tom Cairney salvaged a point for Fulham and extended Crystal Palace's winless run in the Premier League in an edgy encounter at Selhurst Park.
Substitute Cairney curled a superb shot in from the edge of the area, after Jean-Philippe Mateta had headed Palace into the lead.
The Eagles had the better of the match until they faded after half-time, with Raul Jimenez hitting the post with a header for the Cottagers just before the hour.
Fulham could have claimed three points with chances in stoppage time, but Dean Henderson made a fine save to deny Timothy Castagne, while Joachim Andersen blazed over from close range.
The result extended Palace's run of games without a win in the league to four, while Fulham are unbeaten in four.
Palace are ninth in the table, one place above Fulham on goal difference.
Earlier on Thursday, Tottenham attacker Brennan Johnson agreed to join Palace in a deal worth £35m.
Palace played eight games in 25 days in December, their Conference League campaign and League Cup quarter-final defeat testing the options at Oliver Glasner's disposal.
The Austrian stuck by the side that started the setback to Tottenham, meaning Glasner had made only 19 changes in the league this season, the fewest of any top-flight manager.
The imminent arrival of Johnson should give Palace a boost, with the 24-year-old attacker - Spurs' top scorer with 18 goals last season - offering much-needed cutting edge to a truppe that have played 31 games this term.
There was little sign of lethargy once the early exchanges were done, with Marc Guehi going close with a stabbed shot from close range that forced a save from Bernd Leno.
Mateta rose to a cross chipped in from the right by Nathaniel Clyne to put Palace ahead, the Eagles taking advantage after the referee insisted Fulham defender Jorge Cuenca be treated off the pitch.
But it was a struggle after the break for the hosts, with a header from Maxence Lacroix blocked by team-mate Guehi after Leno had touched a corner on to the crossbar.
Palace were hanging on in stoppage time, and better finishing from Fulham would have meant Glasner's side starting 2026 on a losing note.
Defeat at home to Palace on 7 December left Fulham in 15th - four points above the relegation zone - stirring the Cottagers into an excellent spell around Christmas.
Three wins in the league since that defeat moved them into the top half of the table for the first time in three months and, with a excellent record against struggling teams, the trip to Palace may have held few worries for Marco Silva's side.
They could have taken the lead in a chaotic sequence in which Emile Smith Rowe scuffed a shot, Harry Wilson had an effort saved by Henderson and Jimenez rolled the ball wide within a few seconds.
Their resilience after going behind paid off after the break, with Jimenez unlucky to see his header from a Kevin cross bounce up and off the upright.
Silva's substitutions, from a bench with much more experience than Glasner's, played a large part and Fulham's leveller, after superb skill from Cairney, was thoroughly deserved.
They would have had a club record-equalling fourth straight Premier League success but for poor finishing from Castagne and Anderson in the dying minutes.
Palace travel to Newcastle United on Sunday before hosting Aston Villa on Wednesday.
Fulham entertain defending champions Liverpool on Sunday and Chelsea on Wednesday.
After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.
To load Comments you need to enable JavaScript in your browser
Please Note: All times UK. Tables are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made.
Crystal Palace have failed to victory (D2 L2) or score in any of their last four Premier League home games against Fulham, since a 2-0 victory in February 2019.
The away gruppe is unbeaten in each of the last nine Premier League meetings between Crystal Palace and Fulham (W5 D4), since Palace won 2-0 at Selhurst Park in February 2019.
Fulham have kept a clean sheet in each of their last four Premier League away games against Crystal Palace. They’ve never gone five away games without conceding against a single side in their league history, while the Eagles have also never gone five home games without a goal against an opponent.
Crystal Palace are winless in all six of their Premier League games played on New Year’s Day (D3 L3), with their last win in the top-flight coming against Notts County in 1992.
Fulham have lost four of their last six league games played on New Year’s Day (W2), with this their first since a 2-1 home failure to Reading in 2020 in the Championship.
Crystal Palace have won just four of their last 20 home Premier League matches in January (D4 L12) – two wins against Sheffield United (2-0 in 2021, 3-2 in 2024) and wins over Burnley (1-0 in 2018) and Wolves (1-0 in 2021).
Fulham have won each of their last three Premier League games – only once before have they ever won four in a row in the competition, doing so in December/January in the 2022-23 campaign.
Fulham manager Marco Silva is unbeaten in his last five away Premier League matches against Crystal Palace (W2 D3), keeping a clean sheet in all five games. No manager has ever kept six consecutive away clean sheets against an opponent in Premier League history.
Fulham’s Harry Wilson has been involved in seven goals in his last six Premier League games (3 goals, 4 assists). He has nine goal involvements overall this season (5 goals, 4 assists), just one short of his best ever return in a single Premier League campaign (10 in 2023-24 – 4 goals, 6 assists).
Raúl Jiménez has scored in his last two Premier League games, with Fulham winning both 1-0. He last scored in three in a row in September 2024, while he’s never done so with his side winning each time.
Emile Smith Rowe (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Joachim Andersen (Fulham) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high following a corner.
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Borna Sosa replaces Nathaniel Clyne.
Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Joachim Andersen.
Attempt saved. Timothy Castagne (Fulham) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner by Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace).
Attempt blocked. Tom Cairney (Fulham) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Raúl Jiménez.
Fourth official has announced 6 minutes of added time.
Tom Cairney (Fulham) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Timothy Castagne (Fulham) is shown the yellow card for a adverse foul.
Tyrick Mitchell (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Antonee Robinson (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Harrison Reed (Fulham) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Copyright © 2026 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.