Fulham face Crystal Palace in a vital Premier League London derby at Craven Cottage on Saturday, 5 September 2026, as both sides seek their first points of the season. Marco Silva's team, currently 16th in the table with zero points from two defeats, will aim to end a poor historical run against their London rivals, according to a preview from the BBC.
Fulham's league position is precarious, having lost their opening two matches to sit six points behind early leaders Manchester City. They have scored just two goals while conceding four, giving them a minus two goal difference. A third consecutive defeat would see them equal an unwanted club record, as they have been relegated on both previous occasions they lost their first three top-flight matches.
Fulham are in danger of losing three successive Premier League London derbies for the first time since April 2023. Their overall record against Crystal Palace offers little comfort, with just two wins in their last 13 league meetings. Interestingly, both of those victories came at Selhurst Park during the 2022-23 and 2024-25 campaigns. The home fixture has been a particular problem, as Palace are unbeaten in their last seven Premier League visits to Craven Cottage, a run stretching back to the 2004-05 season.
Crystal Palace, managed by Pierre Sage, arrive in 18th place and are also on zero points. However, their recent form in away London derbies is strong, with six wins from their last ten such matches. Sage has lost his first two league games in charge and has never lost three consecutive league matches in his managerial career, adding extra pressure to this encounter.
Midfielder Alex Iwobi is in line to make his 100th Premier League appearance for Fulham in this match. The Nigerian international brings considerable experience, having also made 123 top-flight appearances for Everton and 100 for Arsenal. His movement and creativity could be key to unlocking a Palace defence.
Off-the-ball running is likely to be a feature, with Fulham's Gonzalo García having made 29 runs in behind opposition defences this season. For context, that puts him behind only Bryan Mbeumo (39) and Kai Havertz (31) in the Premier League for this metric. This tactical detail suggests Fulham will look to exploit space behind Palace's defensive line.
This match is the first of a critical period for Fulham as they look to climb away from the bottom of the table. The immediate focus is solely on securing a positive result against a direct rival. Fans can view the full schedule on the club's fixtures page. The team's current squad, which will be tasked with turning the season around, is listed on our squad page.
With both teams desperate for points, the derby atmosphere at Craven Cottage promises to be intense. The historical data favours the visitors, but Fulham's need to avoid a third straight loss to start the campaign provides powerful motivation. The match kicks off on Saturday, 5 September 2026.
