Cairney's Stunner Salvages Point as Palace's Winless Woe Deepens in Thriller

In a tense London derby at Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace and Fulham battled to a gripping 1-1 draw, extending Palace's winless streak to six matches across all competitions.[1][2]

Jean-Philippe Mateta gave the hosts a first-half lead in the 39th minute, capitalising on their growing confidence after a sluggish start. Palace, desperate to halt a run without a victory since their Conference League win over Shelbourne on December 11, thought they had secured a vital three points.[1]

Fulham, entering the match on a hot streak of three consecutive wins and four clean sheets in their previous four visits to Selhurst Park, refused to yield. Raúl Jiménez struck the post early in the second half, and Bernd Leno brilliantly clawed Maxence Lacroix's header onto the crossbar from a corner.[1][2]

The Cottagers' persistence paid off in the 80th minute when Tom Cairney unleashed a stunning strike from the edge of the box, levelling the score and denying Palace a much-needed victory.[1][2]

Both sides had chances to win it late on. Palace's Lacroix headed against teammate Marc Guéhi on the line, while Fulham spurned opportunities in the closing stages, leaving the points shared.[1][4]

Standings reflect the parity: Crystal Palace sit with a 7-6-6 record on 27 points, matched by Fulham at 8-3-8, also on 27 points.[2]

Palace's home struggles persist, contrasting Fulham's excellent form that has propelled them into the top half of the table for the first time since September. Historically, Palace have won the last three meetings, but Fulham's resilience shone through.[3]

Post-match buzz centres on potential transfers, with Brentford's Johnson eyed by Palace amid their search for reinforcements.[1]