Ben Chilwell marked his return to Crystal Palace in dramatic fashion, scoring just three minutes after coming off the bench as the Eagles completed a stunning 3-2 comeback victory over Fulham.
The 29-year-old left wing-back re-signed for Palace on Tuesday on a free transfer from Strasbourg, having spent the second half of the 2024-25 season at the club on loan from Chelsea.
Chilwell replaced fellow left wing-back Tyrick Mitchell from the bench and wasted little time making an impact. Just three minutes after coming on, he capitalised on a loose ball after Fulham failed to clear a Palace attack and fired home to complete the Eagles’ comeback.
Fulham had taken an early lead through teenager Josh King, whose effort took a deflection before finding the net.
Palace responded through Mitchell, who produced a close-range finish from a tight angle to bring the Eagles level.
The hosts restored their advantage before half-time when Spanish winger Cesar Palacios opened his Fulham account following his summer move from Real Madrid, putting Alvaro Arbeloa’s side 2-1 ahead at the break.
Palace came out strongly after the restart, with Mitchell grabbing his second goal of the match after Fulham failed to clear his initial effort, allowing the ball to trickle over the line for 2-2.
With both sides pushing for victory, Chilwell then delivered the decisive moment. His powerful finish on his Palace return completed the turnaround and secured a memorable 3-2 victory for the Eagles.
The win also handed Pierre Sage his first victory as Crystal Palace head coach following his appointment as Oliver Glasner’s replacement over the summer.
For Fulham, the defeat continued a difficult start under former Real Madrid boss Alvaro Arbeloa, with the Whites suffering their third consecutive league defeat since his arrival.
For Chilwell, however, it was an ideal return to Selhurst Park, with his immediate impact helping Palace turn a difficult afternoon into a memorable comeback victory.
