You have to admire Roy Hodgson. A week after being taken to hospital after falling ill before Crystal Palace’s game against Aston Villa last weekend, the former England manager watched almost every minute of this arm wrestle of a match standing on the edge of his technical area as two evenly-matched teams played out a stalemate.
On an afternoon that saw Fulham again show their lack of cutting edge in attack since the departure of Aleksandar Mitrovic, Palace were indebted to goalkeeper Sam Johnstone for keeping Marco Silva’s side out with a string of excellent saves. Only Eberechi Eze – making his 100th appearance for Palace – looked capable of unpicking a stubborn Fulham defence but ultimately no one could find the breakthrough in a game between two sides who look destined for mid-table again.
“I was very touched by the concern,” said Hodgson. “But if you ask me how I’m feeling then I’m not feeling as good as I was before the game because I was hoping for a victory.”
Hodgson admitted that the rigorous tests he was put through at hospital last weekend had made him “more confident than ever I can be out on that field a little bit longer” despite celebrating his 76th birthday last month. But while the return of Marc Guéhi to the heart of the Palace defence after conceding three late goals to Villa in their manager’s absence ensured they remain ahead of Fulham on goal difference, it was Silva who was more frustrated after failing to add to their meagre tally of five goals this season.
“We were the team that created more chances to win – we have to be more effective in attack,” said the Fulham manager, adding that Raúl Jiménez’s first goal for the club should be “only a matter of time” despite the Mexican spurning a good chance here.
Carlos Vinícius had to make do with a place on the bench again despite sealing the narrow victory over Luton last week, with Jiménez starting in attack and rarely troubling Guéhi and Joachim Andersen in Palace’s defence. An incisive move down the left flank involving Antonee Robinson and Willian set up Andreas Pereira for the first sight of goal inside the opening five minutes but Johnstone was equal to his shot. The Palace goalkeeper was called upon again to tip away Willian’s drive from distance as Fulham showed their intent.
Two bookings in the space of five minutes for João Palhinha and Tim Ream lifted the atmosphere among the home supporters as Palace began to find their feet, although Jordan Ayew could have no complaints after he was shown a yellow card for clattering into the Portuguese midfielder. The scrappy first half fare certainly wouldn’t have impressed the former Fulham striker Rodney Marsh who was watching up in the stands as both sides seemed to cancel each other out in spite of the frenetic pace.
Eze finally recorded Palace’s first shot on target from a free-kick just after the half-hour mark before Jiménez was presented with the best chance of the half thanks to Pereira’s brilliant pass, only to be denied by another good save from Johnstone. Hodgson had the perfect view when Eze curled an effort just wide of the post after a mazy dribble.
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A rare mistake from the reliable Ream almost gifted Palace the perfect start to the second half but Will Hughes directed his shot into the hands of Bernd Leno. Eze thought he was in the clear after Cheick Doucouré’s timely interception, only for Palhinha to come from nowhere and stop him in his tracks. Referee Paul Tierney then waved away strong appeals from the home crowd when Eze went down in the box after a challenge from Harrison Reed.
Fulham had not offered much in attack since the early exchanges until Hughes was dispossessed in midfield but there was no one to apply the finish to Jiménez’s ball across the face of goal. Hodgson decided to go for broke with the introduction of Jean-Philippe Mateta off the bench to partner Odsonne Édouard in attack, while Silva waited until 10 minutes before the end before calling for Vinícius.
But it was Willian who produced the best save of the afternoon from Johnstone’s legs after the Brazilian found some space on the left-hand side, with Mateta’s dribbling shot at the other end that was easily gathered by Leno summing up a frustrating afternoon for Palace.
