Luka Milivojevic and Jeffrey Schlupp goals enough for Crystal Palace to overcome blunt Fulham

Crystal Palace did more than enough to deserve the points at Selhurst Park this afternoon, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that Fulham did not do nearly enough.

The visitors had much more possession, but when Palace had the ball they made it count.

Luka Milivojevic put them ahead after 25 minutes with a penalty, his seventh goal of the season. Jeffrey Schlupp made the points safe in the 87^th minute after substitute Michy Batshuayi, making his debut on loan from Chelsea, had a shot saved by Fulham goalkeeper Sergio Rico.

It was only Palace’s third win in 12 league games at Selhurst Park this season, and a second without Wilfred Zaha, who was suspended.

Fulham, though, became the first team to lose eight successive top-flight London derbies and remain without an away win, having claimed only one point on their travels since Claudio Ranieri took charge.

Fulham had most of the possession but failed to get a shot on target, a failing that showed up after only ten minutes. Palace defender James Tomkins completely missed Joe Bryan’s cross from the left but Aleksandar Mitrovic, coming in behind him, put his free header wide of the post. The Serbian striker’s reaction was one of evident disbelief that he had passed up such a gilt-edged opportunity.

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Having let Palace off the hook at one end, Fulham gifted them a goal at the other end. Right back Cyrus Christie jumped with his arm up in the air as he contested a cross with Christian Benteke, who was making his first start since September 1. When the ball hit Christie’s hand, referee Michael Oliver had no hesitation in awarding a penalty. Goalkeeper Sergio Rico read Luka Milivojevic’s intentions and got both hands to his kick but could not keep the ball out of the net.

Fulham raised the tempo of their game in response, but although their neat passing actually seemed to improve under pressure, they created few clear chances.

Palace, in contrast, might have gone two ahead when Andros Townsend crossed from the right and Benteke, on the corner of the six-yard box, launched himself into a spectacular overhead kick only to see his shot strike the crossbar with an impact that must have been felt half-way across south London.

Jordan Ayew created the first chance of the second half, his angled shot taking a deflection off the boot of Denis Odoi and forcing a save from Rico. The goalkeeper also did well to block Jeffrey Schlupp’s hard, low shot at his near post. Mamadou Sakho then escaped the marking of Calum Chambers only to nod Patrick van Aanholt’s cross wide of goal.

Ayew saw his shot blocked inadvertently by his team-mate James McArthur before making way for Batshuayi, who twisted past Odoi and fired in a shot that Rico could only parry, the rebound falling kindly for Schlupp to sweep home.