Crystal Palace lost 1-0 to Tottenham on Sunday, making it five successive games without a win across all competitions. While that run includes some tough matchups against the likes of Man City and Arsenal, the Eagles have looked vulnerable at the back with key defensive players missing. Daniel Munoz has been absent for the last few weeks with a knee injury, which has been a real blow, and Chris Richards missed out at the weekend with a foot injury. 

Palace are also without a win in their last five at home. Meanwhile, Fulham have won each of their last three Premier League matches, during which they have scored five goals. Considering they put four past Man City at the start of December, the Cottagers have more than enough attacking firepower to find the back of the net here.

After a dismal start to the campaign, during which Fulham picked up just one point from their opening five league matches on the road, away form has really picked up recently. Fulham have taken maximum points from their last three away outings, including a 1-0 win over West Ham last time out. The Cottagers racked up 17 shots in that match, forcing Alphonse Areola into four saves. Marco Silva’s men have every reason to approach this game with confidence, and they should be attack-minded once again. 

Dean Henderson made three saves against Fulham when these sides met a few weeks ago, and he has landed this selection in 13 of his last 14 Premier League matches. He only failed to hit this mark against basement-dwellers Wolves, who managed just eight shots in a 2-0 win for Palace. This bet has landed in seven consecutive league games at Selhurst Park, and Henderson should be kept busy once again. 

Eddie Nketiah replaced Nathaniel Clyne after 58 minutes against Tottenham at the weekend, which was Oliver Glasner’s first change in his search for an equalising goal. Nketiah looked sharp when he came on, constantly looking to take on his man and make things happen in the final third. The former Arsenal man has had limited opportunities in the starting XI this season, but should get a chance to prove his worth against Fulham. 

He did start against Fulham a few weeks ago, where he scored his second Premier League goal of the season in a 2-1 victory. Nketiah registered two shots, both of which hit the target, so he should be looking forward to this matchup. Despite his limited minutes, Nketiah is averaging 3.78 shots per 90 across all competitions this term, and has landed this bet in three of his last four starts.

Lerma started in midfield against Arsenal in the EFL Cup last midweek, before shifting to a centre-back role after Chris Richards was stretchered off. The Colombian international racked up four fouls against the Gunners, and also committed a foul at the weekend against Tottenham. He played the full 90 in defence against Spurs, and was booked for a cynical foul late on. Lerma hasn’t regularly started under Oliver Glasner this season, but looks set to retain his starting position at the back with several key Palace players injured. 

Lerma is averaging 1.27 fouls per 90 across all competitions this season, and looks a lot less comfortable when playing in defence. He will have to deal with Kevin, who is a technically gifted winger who likes having the ball at his feet. The Brazilian is averaging 1.91 fouls drawn per 90 this season in the league and should cause Lerma problems. 

With Alex Iwobi linking up with the Nigeria squad for AFCON, Sasa Lukic has established himself as a starter in midfield once again, partnering Sander Berge. The Serbia international has started just 11 games for Fulham this season, but has already picked up five yellow cards, and has served a one-game suspension. 

Lukic is incredibly aggressive in his duels, and ranks 2nd for total fouls committed out of all Premier League players this season, despite his limited game time. His average of 3.03 fouls per 90 is one of the highest in the league. The 29-year-old never seems to be far away from the referee’s notebook, and has been fortunate to escape a caution in each of his last three starts. 

Even last season, Lukic ranked 5th for total fouls committed in the league, which translated to 12 yellow cards - the joint-most of any player in the division. 

I kept suggesting that Crystal Palace’s good league form could not continue with the size of squad that they have and the amount of games they have to play, and for weeks, they kept proving me wrong. That has now turned, with Palace losing three games on the spin, with just a 92nd-minute penalty at Leeds in a 4-1 loss in terms of goals scored.

Fulham are travelling in the opposite direction with three wins on the bounce, meaning these two teams are now separated by one league position when a month or so ago it was 12. The Cottagers have taken points off those around them, or who were around them at the time, beating Burnley, Nottingham Forest and West Ham. A bet on Harry Wilson to score or assist would have landed in two of those three.

In his last five appearances in the league, he’s scored two goals and provided four assists, and he should have a good chance again here against a Palace side enduring some mid-season turbulence.

Adam Wharton registered three shots against Tottenham at the weekend, managing to hit the target as he tried to get Palace back in the game. The Englishman has seen an uptick in shots recently, registering three attempts against Man City at home, and one against Arsenal at the Emirates. In fact, Wharton has registered a shot in 15 of his last 16 matches across all competitions - while he hasn’t been particularly accurate with his efforts, Wharton has been picking up some promising positions in the final third, which makes this price stand out.

Wharton is averaging 1.27 shots per 90 across all competitions this season, rising to 1.62 when playing at Selhurst Park. Operating alongside the more defensive-minded Will Hughes, Wharton should be able to advance up the pitch to pick up good shooting positions in and around the opposition penalty area.