The 2026 Premier League calendar kicks off with a high-stakes South London vs. West London clash today, Thursday, January 1, 2026.2 Crystal Palace welcomes Fulham to Selhurst Park, with both sides locked on 26 points and desperate to climb into the top half of the table.3
While Palace is looking to snap a dismal winless streak to start the new year, Marco Silva’s Fulham arrives in South London brimming with confidence after a strong finish to December.4
Match Details
Competition: Premier League (Matchday 20)
Kick-off: 17:30 GMT / 12:30 ET5
Venue: Selhurst Park, London6
Referee: Tony Harrington (VAR: Paul Tierney)7
Broadcast: Sky Sports (UK) / USA Network (US)
Current Form: Freefall vs. Momentum
Crystal Palace: A Winter Slump
Despite a historic 2025 that saw the Eagles lift the FA Cup, Oliver Glasner’s side has ended the year in a "tailspin."8 Palace is winless in their last five matches across all competitions, including three consecutive Premier League losses to Manchester City, Leeds, and Tottenham.9 They currently sit in 11th place and have struggled to find the net at home.10
Fulham: Chasing European Spots
Fulham, by contrast, is the league's "form team" outside the top four. The Cottagers have won three successive league matches, most recently a gritty 1–0 away win at West Ham.11 Marco Silva’s men are currently 12th (trailing Palace only on goal difference) and are seeking a historic fourth consecutive Premier League away win tonight.12
The "New Year" Standings
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| 10. Newcastle | 19 | 7 | 5 | 7 | +2 | 26 |
| 11. Crystal Palace | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | +1 | 26 |
| 12. Fulham | 18 | 8 | 2 | 8 | -1 | 26 |
| 13. Tottenham | 18 | 7 | 4 | 7 | +4 | 25 |
Team News & Predicted Lineups
Both squads are heavily depleted due to a combination of festive fatigue, a mounting injury list, and the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).13
Crystal Palace Team News
Out (AFCON): Ismaïla Sarr (Senegal).14
Injuries: Daniel Muñoz (Knee), Daichi Kamada (Hamstring), Eddie Nketiah (Muscle), Cheick Doucouré (Knee).
Doubtful: Chris Richards (Foot).15
Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Lerma, Lacroix, Guéhi; Clyne, Wharton, Hughes, Mitchell; Devenny, Pino; Mateta.16
Fulham Team News
Out (AFCON): Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, Samuel Chukwueze (all Nigeria).17
Injuries: Rodrigo Muniz (Hamstring), Ryan Sessegnon (Hamstring).18
Key Player: Harry Wilson, who has 7 goal contributions in his last 6 games.19
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, Andersen, Cuenca, Robinson; Lukić, Berge; Wilson, Smith Rowe, Traoré; Jiménez.20
Head-to-Head: The Selhurst Hex
While Palace won the reverse fixture 2–1 at Craven Cottage just three weeks ago, their home record against Fulham is surprisingly poor.
Home Struggles: Crystal Palace has failed to win (or even score) in their last four Premier League home games against Fulham at Selhurst Park.21
Overall Trend: The home team has failed to win in any of the last nine Premier League meetings between these two sides.22
Last Palace Home Win: February 2019 (2–0).
Tactical Analysis: Experience vs. Depleted Energy
Oliver Glasner has admitted his squad is "stretched to the limit."23 With Eddie Nketiah out, the goal-scoring burden falls entirely on Jean-Philippe Mateta, who hasn't scored in his last seven outings.24 Palace will likely rely on Adam Wharton to control the tempo and limit the service to Fulham's Raúl Jiménez.
Fulham will look to exploit Palace’s makeshift defense. With Chris Richards a doubt, midfielder Jefferson Lerma may have to fill in at center-back, creating a potential mismatch for the physical Jiménez and the creative Emile Smith Rowe.
Match Prediction
Crystal Palace is desperate to turn the page on a poor December, but their injury list is simply too long to ignore.25 Fulham is playing with confidence, and their tactical discipline away from home has been elite this season. History suggests the "away team advantage" in this fixture will continue.
Final Score Prediction: Crystal Palace 0–1 Fulham
