Mexican Raul Jimenez had reason to smile on the first day of 2026, helping Fulham secure a point away from Crystal Palace with a 1-1 draw thanks to his goal Jimenez didn't score, but his constant movement in the attacking third for "The Cottagers" helped his team constantly trouble the home side, allowing them to equalize in the second half with several adjustments to their formation. This extended their unbeaten run to four games, with three wins and a draw, putting them level on 27 points with their opponents. The result for Crystal Palace, on the other hand, was the opposite, extending their winless streak to four matches. In other words, they have only managed one point out of the last twelve available, putting Austrian manager Oliver Glasner under immense pressure. The London derby at Selhurst Park didn't change the dynamic for either side, however, the Eagles' need to win was paramount, especially at home, so they were the more aggressive team in the first half, finally opening the scoring in the 39th minute with a goal from Frenchman Jean-Philippe Mateta, who headed home a fine cross from Nathaniel Clyne. The bad news for Palace is that they reverted to the same mistakes as in the other matches, their rhythm dropping in the second half, and they proved to be pure poison against an opponent who, with three wins in their last three games, was fuel and fire for their ambitions. Because the team of the "Mexican Wolf" wasn't going to give up so easily, and with the introduction of Marco Silva, Timothy Castagne, and Tom Cairney himself, they had the strength to pressure the home side's goal until, in the 80th minute, Cairney, assisted by Sasa Lukic, was able to control the ball and fire from the edge of the box, beating goalkeeper Dean Henderson. The score remained unchanged, leaving both teams in mid-table, but three points away from European competition.Although the table looks very different for "The Cottagers" and "The Eagles," Raul Jimenez's team seems to be improving with each match, while Crystal Palace is doing the opposite.