Bobby De Cordova-Reid, Tim Ream and Aleksandar Mitrovic got the goals to give Fulham a 3-0 victory over nine-man Crystal Palace as the Premier League returned to Selhurst Park on Monday.
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The victory sends Fulham (22 points) up to 8th in the Premier League table, level on points with Liverpool for the time being (the Cottagers have played two more games currently). Palace (19 points), meanwhile, remain in 11th where they began Boxing Day.
Mitrovic, typically the scorer, set up De Cordova Reid, typically the assister, for the opening goal in the 31st minute, and then things got (much) worse (very) quickly for Crystal Palace as Tyrick Mitchell was shown a red card for stamping his studs on Kenny Tete’s shin in the 34th.
Palace went from 10 to nine men in the 57th minute, when James Tomkins was shown a second yellow card for elbowing Mitrovic as he sprinted in on goal. Ream, the newly minted World Cup star for the USMNT, lashed the ball past Vicente Guaita from a corner kick in the 71st minute.
Mitrovic made it 3-0 with a close-range redirect from Willian’s volley in the 80th minute, giving him 10 PL goals this season (4th-most - Haaland, Kane and Toney).
How to watch Crystal Palace vs Fulham live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 10am ET Monday, Dec. 26 (Boxing Day)
TV Channel/Online: Stream via Peacock Premium
Key storylines
Crystal Palace has one of the best defensive records outside the top four but has to get more goals. Wilfried Zaha and Odsonne Edouard present big-time threats but the Eaglers would like to see more end product from Eberechi Eze and others.
Fulham’s scored a bunch of goals this season but has had plenty of trouble keeping opponents away from danger.
In-form players to keep an eye on
Palace will hope that rest has cured the many bruises Zaha’s taken over the course of this young season. He’ll surely be raring to get out of the gates and back onto the Premier League race track.
Antonee Robinson and Tim Ream were among the USMNT’s very best players at the World Cup, while Aleksandar Mitrovic also played well in an abbreviated tournament with Serbia.
Crystal Palace team news, injuries, lineup options
OUT: Nathan Ferguson (undisclosed), Sam Johnstone (back), James McArthur (groin)
Our Boxing Day XI 🤝@shophumm 📲#CPFC | #CRYFUL
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) December 26, 2022
Fulham team news, injuries, lineup options
OUT: Manor Solomon (knee), Neeskens Kebano (achilles) | QUESTIONABLE: Aleksandar Mitrovic (foot), Antonee Robinson (foot), Layvin Kurzawa (undisclosed)
Back to the PL. 😎#CRYFUL pic.twitter.com/wyZ8q1pQVw
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) December 26, 2022