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| Zaha scored his fifth goal of the season for Palace |
Wilfried Zaha scored and made another goal to inspire Crystal Palace to victory and inflict more misery on the Premier League’s bottom side Fulham.
Palace were on the back foot for much of the encounter, with the hosts having almost 70% possession, but netted twice on the counter-attack.
Zaha’s thumping strike was saved by Alphonse Areola but in the next move the Ivorian slipped a sublime reverse ball through to Jairo Riedewald to slot in the opener.
Fulham could have got back into the contest but Ademola Lookman twice hit the woodwork in the opening period, seeing an effort tipped onto the near post by Vicente Guaita and drilling a drive across goal which rattled the other post.
The visitors capitalised in the second half as Michy Batshuayi picked out Zaha for an easy finish at the back post.
Fulham were reduced to 10 men late on when substitute Aboubakar Kamara was shown a red card for raking his studs on the back of Ebere Eze’s leg, and skipper Tom Cairney’s stunning, long-range strike proved merely a consolation.
Palace made a huge leap up the table, jumping from 14th place to fifth, while Fulham remain rooted and stay in search of their first win.
