By Opta Analyst | Created at 2025-03-28 11:31:31 | Updated at 2025-03-31 08:17:48
2 days ago
Who will secure London bragging rights and a place in the FA Cup semi-finals? We look ahead to Saturday’s last-eight clash with our Fulham vs Crystal Palace prediction and preview.
Fulham vs Crystal Palace Stats: The Key Insights
- Fulham are the favourites to beat Crystal Palace inside 90 minutes, winning 46.3% of pre-match simulations by the Opta supercomputer.
- Crystal Palace have progressed from just two of their last 10 FA Cup ties against fellow Premier League opponents.
- Andreas Pereira has created 18 chances in the FA Cup this season, the most of any player among the sides remaining in the competition.
Two top-flight London clubs face off as Crystal Palace visit Fulham in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday.
Marco Silva’s side have impressed in Premier League action this season, sitting eighth and just four points off UEFA Champions League qualification through a place in the top four.
Fulham were 2-0 winners against Tottenham before the international break. Rodrigo Muniz and Ryan Sessegnon were on target in that win at Craven Cottage, where they return for this last-eight clash in the FA Cup.
The hosts saw off Watford and Wigan Athletic before beating Manchester United on penalties to reach this stage of the competition. However, they haven’t knocked out Premier League opposition in consecutive rounds of the FA Cup since rounds three and four in 2002-03 (Birmingham City and Charlton Athletic).
Fulham have also been eliminated in each of their last four appearances at this stage (2003-04, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2022-23), having previously progressed from all four of their FA Cup quarter-final ties between 1957-58 and 2001-02.
Palace, meanwhile, have a far superior record in the last eight. They have progressed from four of their last five FA Cup quarter-final ties, failing only in 2018-19 against Watford in this run.
However, the Eagles have progressed from just two of their last 10 FA Cup ties against fellow Premier League opponents. They beat Tottenham in the 2018-19 fourth round and Everton in the 2021-22 quarter-final.
To get to this point, Oliver Glasner’s side edged past Stockport County and brushed aside Doncaster Rovers before breezing past fierce rivals Millwall in a game that was marred by Jean-Phillipe Mateta‘s concerning head injury.
Towering talisman Mateta is expected to return for Saturday, though he will wear a protective face mask after the gruesome blow suffered from Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts’ flying lunge. Joel Ward, Cheick Doucouré and Chadi Riad remain out injured, while Will Hughes will be suspended.
Silva will be able to call upon the returning Sasa Lukic from suspension but Harry Wilson, Kenny Tete and Reiss Nelson will be absent due to injuries.
Palace will also have to watch out for Andreas Pereira, who has created 18 chances in the FA Cup this season, the most of any player among the sides remaining in the competition.
Fulham vs Crystal Palace Head-to-Head
This will be just the second time campaign in which two sides have met in the FA Cup, with Palace winning a second-round replay 1-0 in February 1907 previously.
Palace were 2-0 winners the last time these two sides met in the Premier League. Joachim Andersen turned into his own net against his former side before Daniel Muñoz‘s breakaway goal sealed the win at Craven Cottage on 22 February.
That extended Palace’s unbeaten run at Fulham to six away games (W3 D3).
On Saturday, Palace will aim to win twice on the road in a single campaign against one side for just the second time, after doing so against Southampton in 1964-65.
Fulham vs Crystal Palace Prediction
The Opta supercomputer backed a home win in 90 minutes, with Fulham winning 46.3% of 10,000 pre-match simulations.
Palace still have a 27.1% chance of victory in normal time, while the draw – and the potential of extra-time and penalties – came in at 26.6%.
Opta Power Rankings
The Opta Power Rankings are a global team ranking system. They assign an ability score to over 13,000 domestic football teams. This score is on a scale between zero and 100, where zero is the worst-ranked team in the world and 100 is the best team in the world.
Ahead of kick-off this weekend, here is the Opta Power Ranking for both sides.
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