Crystal Palace v Fulham Odds : Fulham slight favourites to edge London derby as both teams search for a much needed win

September 16, 2014

Fulham are labelled as 17/10 favourites to beat Crystal Palace in local clash as both sides look for a win to lift them away from the relegation zone.

Crystal Palace and Fulham have both had difficult starts to the season with both sides languishing at the bottom of the table and will look to the upcoming clash as an opportunity to turn their season around.

Since getting promoted, Crystal Palace have struggled with life in the Premier League and sit 19th in the league with a solitary win against Sunderland being their only points so far this season.

Palace has been met with a couple of major returns that will help strengthen their squad ahead of the clash with French midfielder Yannick Bolasie likely to make his first start for The Eagles.

Alongside that, captain Paddy McCarthy has also returned to training after recovering from a groin injury and could get a place on the bench if deemed fit enough.

There will also be a lot of attention on Julian Speroni and the Palace backline as they have yet to keep a clean sheet all season and will no doubt look to change that stat come the end of the final whistle.

Fulham have been disappointing this season so far and sit 17th in the table after winning just 2 of their opening 7 games this season leaving them with just 7 points.

Martin Jol will be greeted with some news as some of his more experienced campaigners get ready to back into the squad as Scott Parker has fully recovered from a calf problem that ruled him out of the last couple of games.

The Cottagers will also welcome back Adel Taarabt into the line-up after coming through the international break unscathed meanwhile Aaron Hughes could be a surprise inclusion in the squad as the defender has returned to training following a thigh injury.

Meanwhile, the likes of Dimitar Berbatov and Darren Bent will look to repeat history as they look to become the fourth Fulham striker in 5 Premier League games to score a brace against Palace with Luis Boa Morte the last striker to do just that in the 2004-2005 season.

With Palace struggling to get any points, it could provide Fulham with the chance to turn their fortunes around but their stutttering start to the seaosn won’t make it an easy match for them.