Ben Chilwell is back at Crystal Palace and tormenting London rivals, after his late winner at Craven Cottage resigned Fulham to a third defeat in a row.
Former Chelsea man Chilwell was a deadline-day signing from Strasbourg having spent a season under the radar in France, and before that he had spent half of the 2024-25 season on loan at Selhurst Park. In fact, he scored for Palace in his last outing for the club. In west London he was introduced as a 74th-minute substitute here and scored three minutes later.
The defeat means Fulham have lost three league matches on the spin under Álvaro Arbeloa, who joined the club after leaving Real Madrid .
Fulham manager Alvaro Arbeloa has made a poor start to the season - PA/Adam Davy
The hosts took the lead when Oscar Bobb 's cutback evaded the outstretched toe of Adam Wharton to reach Josh King. The 19-year-old's shot might not have beaten Dean Henderson had it not taken a deflection off Jaydee Canvot , but it was enough to take the ball away from the Palace captain.
Daichi Kamada thought he had managed an instant reply after some good link-up play between Eddie Nketiah and Yeremy Pino , but a video assistant referee (VAR) check determined the Japan international was offside.
There was determined work on the ground from Axel Disasi – one of Pierre Sage's 11 summer additions – to dig the ball out and find Chris Richards , who was denied by Bernd Leno in the 18th minute.
Two good blocks by another Palace newcomer, Anan Khalaili, kept Fulham at bay, but the visitors continued to lack a clinical finish at the other end.
Richards got in the way of a long-range Gonzalo Garcia effort just after the half-hour, five minutes before Tyrick Mitchell brought Palace level. Kamada found Pino and the Spain international feed Mitchell on the left – he held off former team-mate Joachim Andersen and fired inside the near post.
Tyrick Mitchell scored twice in a match for the first time in his career - Getty Images/Sebastian Frej
César Palacios restored Fulham's lead in the 42nd minute with a goal instigated by King, who raced past Richards on the left and delivered a low cross. Henderson palmed away Garcia's initial backheel but could not keep out the follow-up as the young Spanish midfielder scored with a low finish.
Palace appealed for a penalty when Nketiah was challenged just before half-time, but VAR disagreed.
Mitchell levelled again in the 54th minute after a threatening run down the left. Garcia got in the way of the initial ball, but the attempted clearance bounced favourably towards the left-sided midfielder, whose next touch trickled over the line.
Henderson made two sharp saves to deny Palacios and Bobb before the former was replaced by Sander Berge in the 62nd minute.
Chilwell had only just come on when Khalaili, who had been played through, was taken out by Leno. Chilwell ultimately got hold of the loose ball, re-introducing himself to the travelling support with a volley into the bottom corner.
Fulham pushed for a late equaliser, but Palace held firm, benefitting from an excellent save in stoppage time to leave the Cottagers still in search of a first victory of the season.
