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Mitchell Double Seals Palace Comeback as Sage Warns Over Defence

A confidence-boosting victory that exposes persistent defensive frailties needing urgent improvement.

Overview

  • Crystal Palace recovered from a 2-1 deficit to beat Fulham 3-2 after Tyrick Mitchell scored twice and substitute Ben Chilwell netted the winner.
  • Mitchell’s goals were his first in the Premier League for 36 games and his first-ever club brace, with the full-back saying the first came from an Eddie Nketiah pass and the second was a fortuitous, right-place, right-time finish.
  • Manager Pierre Sage called the result positive for the club but criticised Palace’s defending and low first-half mindset, saying the win was a ‘free lesson’ that still requires change.
  • The victory did not fix a wider problem as Palace have now conceded two or more league goals in nine straight matches, a run the club has never recorded before.
  • Players said they are still adjusting to Sage’s tactical tweaks and see the win as a stepping stone, though the manager’s public demands signal further defensive adjustments will be needed to turn short-term resilience into consistent results.