Fulham vs Crystal Palace: 4 key storylines to watch in FA Cup quarter-final | OneFootball

The first FA Cup quarter-final features an all-Premier League clash as Fulham welcomes Crystal Palace to Craven Cottage on Saturday. The Cottagers advanced from the fifth round after defeating Manchester United at Old Trafford on penalties. Meanwhile, the Eagles secured their spot with a 3-1 victory over Championship side Millwall, a match remembered for the horrific injury suffered by Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Here are the four key things to look out for in this fixture:

Fulham's struggles against Crystal Palace

Fulham are winless against Crystal Palace in their last six matches at Craven Cottage. The most recent fixture between the two sides at the stadium saw Palace claim a 2-0 victory. The reverse fixture at Selhurst Park ended with the same scoreline, despite Oliver Glasner's side playing the final 15 minutes with 10 men.

Historically, Fulham has struggled at this stage of the FA Cup, having been eliminated in their last four quarter-finals. Their home form this season ranks only 10th in the league. In their previous 10 matches across all competitions, Fulham has registered six wins and three losses, one of which came against Crystal Palace in the Premier League at Craven Cottage.

Crystal Palace's recent form and FA Cup history

Palace has progressed from four of their last five FA Cup quarter-final ties. However, when facing Premier League opposition, they have lost eight of their last 10 ties in the competition.

Their current form, however, has been one of the best among Premier League teams this year. The Eagles have lost just twice in their last 14 matches and are on a four-match winning streak in all competitions. Remarkably, they have also kept a clean sheet in each of their previous five away games.

Jean-Philippe Mateta's status

The French striker suffered a gruesome injury in the fourth-round fixture against Millwall. As Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts rushed out to clear the ball, he collided with Mateta, catching him with a high boot to the head. The injury required 25 stitches.

Since then, the 27-year-old has been sidelined, though Palace has only played once in that period, a 1-0 win against Ipswich Town. In a positive development, Mateta returned to training with protective headgear for his left ear. Even if available, Glasner might opt to ease him back, with Eddie Nketiah a strong candidate to start up front while Mateta begins on the bench.

For Fulham, Sasa Lukic will be available after serving a two-match ban for accumulating 10 yellow cards. However, Reiss Nelson, Kenny Tete, and Harry Wilson remain sidelined.

As mentioned earlier, Mateta could be in contention for selection. Meanwhile, Palace faces uncertainty over Jefferson Lerma's availability, as the midfielder only returned on Wednesday after representing Colombia in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers.