‘Nice to get the win and the goal’ – English-Ghanaian Eddie Nketiah celebrates comeback goal

Eddie Nketiah delivered a confident display on his Crystal Palace return, scoring the opener in a composed 2-1 Premier League victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage.

The forward, who had missed earlier league action this season, showed sharp instincts throughout the contest and offered renewed energy to a Palace attack that has lacked his movement in recent weeks.

The striker, who has Ghanaian heritage, struck in the 20th minute after timing his run well to meet a precise pass from Adam Wharton.

His finish settled early nerves for the visitors and allowed Palace to control large spells of the first half. Nketiah looked comfortable linking play and pressed intelligently, giving the Fulham defence little room to dictate tempo from the back.

Palace sealed the result late on when Marc Guehi reacted quickest in a crowded box, steering home the visitors’ second goal. The win elevated the Eagles to fourth in the Premier League table and reinforced their growing belief as they enter a demanding stretch of the campaign.

Despite scoring the decisive opener, Nketiah directed much of the praise toward Wharton, who created the chance with a well-timed assist. “He has that quality,” Nketiah told BBC Match of the Day.

“It was a good touch and I knew I could finish. I am getting back into a rhythm after a few recent niggles.”

He added that confidence in the penalty area remains central to his game. “I always back myself in the box. As long as I’m on the pitch, I can understand and produce even better performances.”

“It was a really tough game, Fulham are a really good side,” he said. “So it’s nice to get the win and the goal.”

“Everyone is working hard. We need to keep going like that,” he noted. “The togetherness of this team and when you have that extra bit of motivation, it helps and I think today we deserved the three points.”

Crystal Palace now turn their attention to a midweek UEFA Conference League fixture against Shelbourne before hosting Manchester City in the Premier League.