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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Rachel Steinberg

Harry Wilson stars again as Fulham beat 10-man Crystal Palace

Fulham’s Harry Wilson celebrates his goal (Zac Goodwin/PA) - (PA Wire)

Harry Wilson came off the bench and made it three goals in two Premier League games to consign 10-man Crystal Palace to a 2-0 defeat at Selhurst Park.

Emile Smith Rowe, born in nearby Thornton Heath, opened the scoring two minutes into first-half stoppage time and had a second chalked off after the restart.

Oliver Glasner’s already-depleted squad held strong but were dealt a significant blow when Daichi Kamada was sent off for a poor challenge in the 76th minute.

Wilson, who scored a game-winning stoppage-time brace on Monday against Brentford, cushioned the Cottagers’ lead with his first touch in the 83rd minute.

Glasner’s options were severely limited as a result of a spate of injuries to key talent including Ebere Eze, Jefferson Lerma, Adam Wharton and Chadi Riad, and Eddie Nketiah joined them on the sidelines this week with a hamstring issue.

With Will Hughes also serving a one-game suspension after picking up five yellow cards, the Austrian handed Northern Ireland Under-21s midfielder Justin Devenny his Palace debut and first Premier League start.

Marco Silva travelled with a near fully-fit squad, including former Eagle Joachim Andersen, marking his return to Selhurst Park for the first time since signing with the Cottagers this summer.

There was an early attempt from Raul Jimenez, directed wide, and sliding save by Dean Henderson to deny Reiss Nelson and a timely intervention by summer signing Maxence Lacroix to nullify Fulham’s threat.

Palace enjoyed a brief spell deep in Fulham’s half, but Jean-Philippe Mateta’s effort took a deflection and Marc Guehi – who started in central midfield – nodded wide.

Clear-cut chances remained elusive until a big save from a leaping Henderson to deny Alex Iwobi, in space and with time to line up his shot.

The hosts were inches away from an opener when Bernd Leno spilled his save from Mateta’s stooping header, but the Frenchman was denied a goal by his former team-mate when Andersen swept in to clear off the line.

Smith Rowe fired Fulham in front just as the Eagles looked to be growing into the game.

Lacroix, looking to play out from the back, instead allowed Smith Rowe to easily swoop in and steal possession, playing a one-two with Jimenez before firing past a diving Henderson – who looked to get a hand on it.

Glasner moved his men around after the restart, Guehi returned to a more familiar position, and while Smith Rowe thought he had bagged a 52nd-minute brace the goal was chalked off for offside following a VAR check.

Henderson took a close-range Andreas Pereira shot off his head, soon after tipping another attempt from the Brazilian over the bar before Jimenez volleyed over.

On came Cheick Doucoure for Palace, still making a gradual return to full fitness as the Cottagers continued to pile on the pressure but were unable to extend their advantage despite several decent chances.

The hosts were clinging on, but went down to 10 men after Kamada was sent off for a poor studs-up tackle on Kenny Tete and seemed to immediately accept his fate.

Another goal seemed inevitable, and it came from the man who inspired Fulham to a dramatic stoppage-time comeback on Monday night.

Wilson, who had just come off the bench, was released by Iwobi and fired the Cottagers’ second under Henderson.

He had the ball in the back of the net again in stoppage time, but VAR chalked off Wilson’s would-be second for a handball.

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