Fulham's winless start to the Premier League season continued with a 3-2 home defeat to Crystal Palace. The loss leaves Álvaro Arbeloa's side 19th in the table with zero points from three games, having scored four goals and conceded seven.
Fulham took the lead twice but were pegged back on each occasion. Josh King opened the scoring in the 11th minute, his shot taking a deflection off Jaydee Canvot to beat Dean Henderson. Tyrick Mitchell equalised for Palace in the 35th minute, but César Palacios restored Fulham's lead just before half-time. Mitchell scored his second goal nine minutes after the restart to make it 2-2. The decisive moment came in the 77th minute when substitute Ben Chilwell, a deadline-day signing for Palace, volleyed home the winner. Fulham pushed for a late equaliser but could not find a way past Henderson, who made a sharp save in stoppage time.
New Palace boss Pierre Sage acknowledged his team's difficulties. "Today's lesson was free because we won but we were inefficient in buildup during the first half," he told reporters. Fulham manager Álvaro Arbeloa was left to rue missed opportunities. "We lost a game that we didn't deserve to lose," he said. "But in football you need to take your chances and they did that better than us." The defeat means Fulham's recent form reads LLL, and they are already nine points behind league leaders Manchester City. The club's current standings position highlights the need for a swift turnaround.
The team's defensive frailties have been exposed early, conceding seven goals in three matches. This places significant pressure on the squad ahead of a difficult run of fixtures. Midfielder Tom Cairney is currently sidelined, adding to the selection challenges. Fulham's next test is a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool on September 12th. Liverpool are currently sixth in the table, making it another tough assignment for Arbeloa's men. Fans can view the full fixtures list to see the schedule ahead. The immediate focus will be on shoring up a defence that has been breached too easily. With the transfer window closed, the manager must work with the players at his disposal to find solutions quickly.
