Palace at Selhurst — a New Year grudge match with fine margins
Crystal Palace welcome Fulham to Selhurst Park on January 1, 2026, in a clash that promises to be cagey but far from sterile. The two London sides arrive level on 26 points after 18 rounds, separated only by one place in the table, and the matchup carries fresh, competitive hues after Palace claimed the recent meeting 2-1 at Craven Cottage in December. Tony Harrington will take charge and the crowd of 25,456 at Holmesdale Road can expect an encounter where home advantage could prove decisive; bookmakers make Palace the slight favourite at 2.15 (about a 46.5% implied probability), with the draw and Fulham priced out at 3.35 and 3.40 respectively.
Form, recent results and tactical feel
Formlines show two teams punching above their weight in bursts. Palace’s sequence reads with five wins, one draw and four defeats in their latest ten, and they arrive off a narrow 0-1 loss to Tottenham where Adam Wharton stood out with the best rating for the hosts. Fulham, with six wins and four losses in their last ten, travel buoyed by a 1-0 victory at West Ham where Raúl Jiménez earned the match’s highest rating. Statistically the teams mirror each other: Palace have scored 21 and conceded 20 overall, Fulham 25 and 26, while both register around 11–12 shots per game and over half of their fixtures tilt towards scoring action — over 2.5 goals sits at 50% for each side.
Palace’s defensive resilience at home (seven clean sheets) contrasts with Fulham’s tendency to be more adventurous on the road; Fulham’s away games show both goalscoring and vulnerability, with 10 goals scored and 16 conceded away from home. Dangerously, Fulham’s attacks average a touch higher than Palace’s and they win more corners on average — indicators that they can create sustained pressure, even if they sometimes pay the price at the back.
How the numbers shape a prediction
The head-to-head edge goes to Palace from their December meeting and Selhurst’s atmosphere typically squeezes a few extra ounces out of the home side. Yet the underlying data points to an open, competitive fixture: similar points tallies, comparable shot volumes, and both sides flirting with goal-heavy outcomes make a tight, entertaining game the likeliest prospect. If you want to sharpen your market selection approach, consider reading up on broader match market strategy with resources like Soccer betting tips and the choice of markets, and remember psychological discipline is vital — see How to have emotional control when placing bets? for tactics to manage your bankroll and temperament.
Betting suggestion After weighing form, venue and statistical signals, the most attractive market here is the goal market: Both Teams To Score — Yes. Both clubs have a healthy tendency to both score and concede, Fulham’s away numbers suggest they’ll test Palace’s defence, and Palace’s home record shows they can nick goals as well. The suggested play is BTTS: Yes.
