Chilwell Scores on Palace Return in Win at Fulham

Ben Chilwell scored on his Crystal Palace return as the Eagles came from behind twice to earn a 3-2 win at Fulham.

Chilwell, 29, re-signed for Palace on Tuesday on a free transfer from Strasbourg, having spent the second half of the 2024-25 season there on loan from Chelsea.

Within three minutes of replacing fellow left wing-back Tyrick Mitchell off the bench, who scored Palace’s first two goals, Chilwell latched on to a loose ball as Fulham failed to clear an attack from Pierre Sage’s side and thumped the ball home.

The Whites had initially gone ahead early in the first half via a deflected effort from teenager Josh King, only to be cancelled out by Mitchell’s close-range effort from a tight angle.

Spanish winger Cesar Palacios then opened his Fulham account following his summer move from Real Madrid to give Alvaro Arbeloa’s side a lead at the break.

Mitchell equalised for a second time at the start of the second half, pouncing as the hosts made a mess of clearing his initial effort before his intervention trickled in to level the game.

Victory for Palace sees Sage claim his first win as head coach after he replaced Oliver Glasner over the summer.

Meanwhile, Fulham have lost three straight league games since the arrival of ex-Real boss Arbeloa.

Fulham analysis: Arbeloa’s tough start magnified with third league defeat

Fulham 2-3 Crystal Palace – Arbeloa reaction

Alongside newly promoted Coventry City, Fulham became the first of two teams to have played three games in the Premier League this season and lost all of them.

On paper, Fulham have not had the easiest set of starting fixtures – at home to Chelsea and then back-to-back meetings with sides that will be in this season’s Europa League in Sunderland and Palace.

Like their opening weekend derby defeat by rivals Chelsea, Fulham scored twice but they conceded three goals that were largely avoidable.

And it doesn’t get any easier from here. Fulham travel to Anfield next weekend to face Liverpool, then will host Manchester United in their final league game before the international break.

There were some boos and disparaging chants towards Arbeloa at full-time. With three defeats and seven goals conceded from their opening three games, it could easily get worse before it gets better for a side tipped by many to be in danger of going down in the pre-season predictions.

Crystal Palace analysis: Mitchell and Chilwell mask defensive issues

Fulham 2-3 Crystal Palace – Sage reaction

In a week where Palace said goodbye to Daniel Munoz – their former attack-minded right wing-back who has now joined Nottingham Forest – Mitchell and Chilwell showed goals from wing-backs are not disappearing.

All three goals showed intent and endeavour to get forward from deep positions, though Fulham’s defence was lacking.

First, Mitchell was put through on goal by Eddie Nketiah. With his options of passing from the left limited by Fulham’s Joachim Andersen, Mitchell fancied his chances of beating Bernd Leno at his near post. With a lashed striker that flew in via Leno’s torso, Mitchell pulled Palace level.

Scoring for the second time in the space of 19 minutes and his first career double, Mitchell showed further attacking enterprise – more so than he should have been afforded.

His initial effort at the end of his galloping run forward was blocked and while Yeremy Pino’s follow-up was cleared by Whites striker Gonzalo Garcia, Mitchell intervened and his block-turned-shot found its way into the net.

Chilwell, replacing Mitchell with under 20 minutes to go, picked up where Mitchell left off. Summer signing Anan Khalaili, starting in place of Munoz on the right, had his shot blocked but Chilwell followed in and converted to earn three points.

Both goalscorers were serenaded by the travelling Palace fans at full-time.

Munoz scored four league goals in each of the past two seasons from right wing-back, and Mitchell and Chilwell have made inroads to fill that attacking void.

But while Palace are scoring goals, they are leaking them at the back. This was the ninth league game in a row where Palace have conceded at least two goals, with Sage unable to stamp out the frailties that crept in at the end of Glasner’s tenure.

But after two defeats to start the season, and staring down the barrel of a third at half-time, Palace showed promise at the start of a season that will include Europa League football.

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Source: BBC