Nketiah Goal Gives Crystal Palace Win Over Fulham, Eases Pressure on Pierre Sage

Eddie Nketiah's second-half strike secured Crystal Palace a 1-0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage, advancing them to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals for the third straight season. The win offers a reprieve for under-fire manager Pierre Sage, who made 10 changes to his lineup but saw captain Dean Henderson make a crucial injury-time save from Gonzalo García to preserve the result. Fulham, unbeaten in their last three, dominated large spells but failed to break down a resilient Palace side that has now won five consecutive meetings at this venue. The hosts have not beaten Palace at home since January 2005, a run of 10 matches, and manager Álvaro Arbeloa will be frustrated after his side's recent progress. With Arsenal already eliminated from the competition, Palace will fancy their chances of going further, though Sage knows Saturday's Premier League clash with Tottenham could determine his long-term future. The result keeps Palace's cup hopes alive while highlighting Fulham's ongoing struggles in this fixture.