Trailing at the break, staring down a messy first-half performance, and needing a complete shift in attitude. Pierre Sage’s first win as Crystal Palace manager was never going to be straightforward, but the Eagles delivered a masterclass in resilience to sink Fulham 3-2 in a breathless London derby.
On a afternoon where debutants stole headlines, tactical switches paid off, and a historic left wing-back double set the stage, Palace finally put their first three points of the 2026/27 campaign on the board.
Mitchell Shines as Defensive Flaws Cost Palace Early
Fulham started the contest on the front foot, exposing early jitters in a newly configured Palace backline. New starters Axel Disasi and Quinten Timber were handed their maiden debuts, but the visitors struggled to find any rhythm during a disjointed opening period.
Despite the rocky start, Tyrick Mitchell put on an absolute clinic from left wing-back. Mitchell dragged Palace level with a brilliant individual effort after Fulham struck first, but defensive lapses allowed the Cottagers to edge ahead once more before the interval. Trailing 2-1 at half-time, the Eagles faced a defining 45 minutes under their new boss.
Half-Time Honesty Sparks the Turnaround
Sage refused to pull his punches during the interval, revealing how he challenged his players—and specifically targeted those who had faltered during a difficult first half—to show character after the break.
“We want to keep the spirit of the win,” Sage said. “But we are aware of our performance, especially in the first-half because the mindset of the team was low. We changed these things in the second-half and at the end we came back twice. It was a good thing because we need both the confidence and points to work with less pressure. That’s why it was really important to win today. I’m happy to win for the guys because they work a lot. But we are aware of what happened during the first two games, we could have more points, so we need to do more.”
Addressing his squad directly, the manager detailed the exact message that inspired the second-half resurgence.
“I just wanted to be honest with them and spoke to the two players who made a mistake in the first-half, Jaydee Canvot and Chris Richards, and told them that we would need them. We needed them [to play] with bravery in the second-half. But they changed I think and that was really important.”
Chilwell Steps Off the Bench to Seal Glory
The response after the restart was emphatic. Mitchell completed his remarkable double to level the scores once again at 2-2, sending the away end into raptures and shifting all the momentum to the Eagles.
With the game hanging in the balance, Sage threw newly returned left-back Ben Chilwell into the fray for his second debut, replacing the exhausted Mitchell. It took Chilwell precisely three minutes and his very first touch of the afternoon—to latch onto a loose ball inside the box and smash home a sensational winner.
The dramatic 3-2 turnaround showcased the fighting spirit Sage demands, though the manager was quick to emphasize that integrating a wave of new arrivals remains a work in progress.
“We were inefficient in the build-up in the first-half, but a little bit better in the second,” Sage added. “But we have new players and we have to integrate them. We have to keep their talent, and game after game it will be better. We play on Tuesday [against Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup], that’s why I’m really happy with that, because we need to play to improve.”
From a shaky, error-strewn first half to the pure euphoria of Ben Chilwell’s late winner, this five-goal thriller proved that Pierre Sage’s Palace possess the stomach for a fight.
With a Carabao Cup clash against Middlesbrough right around the corner on Tuesday, the new manager has his first win, his squad has vital momentum, and South London has a team ready to roll up its sleeves and climb the table.
