Harry Wilson’s firm effort inside the box was parried away by Dean Henderson into the path of Raúl Jiménez, but the Mexican international inexplicably steered his shot wide of the target.
Both sides cancelled each other out in the early part of this New Year’s Day clash, with neither registering a single attempt in the opening 20 minutes. However, the contest finally sparked into life midway through the first half, when the visitors almost found the breakthrough.
The hosts then created their first opportunity on the half-hour mark, as Marc Guéhi saw an effort inside the six-yard box denied by a superb block from Bernd Leno. And after the Cottagers again came close to an opener – when Kenny Tete’s ambitious strike flashed inches over the bar – Palace finally broke the deadlock with HT on the horizon.
With Selhurst Park finding its voice afresh, Jean-Philippe Mateta headed home via an exquisite cross from Nathaniel Clyne for his eighth league goal of the season.
Such was Palace’s newfound momentum, Clyne could well have added a goal to his assist in the 45th minute, but his strike in a very promising position was dragged wide while off balance.
Then again, Fulham could well have equalised too, when a stupendous block from Maxence Lacroix was needed to prevent Wilson from levelling seconds before the interval. Marco Silva’s team came agonisingly close to an equaliser just before the hour mark, as a delightful left-wing delivery from Antonee Robinson was met by the head of Jiménez, only for his attempt to come back off the post.
After his earlier block, Lacroix had a chance to seal the three points when Leno struggled to deal with a Palace corner, but his header from just a few yards out was somehow blocked right in front of the goal line.
With time running out for Fulham, Silva’s decision to introduce Tom Cairney from the bench proved to be an inspired one, as with 80 minutes on the clock, the Scotsman buried the ball into the back of the net after being set up by Saša Lukić.
With FT looming, the visitors came desperately close to securing all three points at the death, but Henderson produced an outstanding save to deny Timothy Castagne with the goal at his mercy.
Despite the inevitable grandstand finale, it ultimately would be honours even, with Palace and Fulham remaining neighbours in 9th and 10th place respectively.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Nathaniel Clyne (Crystal Palace)