Ben Chilwell produced an instant impact on his Crystal Palace return, firing home a spectacular late winner in a 3-2 victory over Fulham. The former Chelsea defender was subsequently targeted by a heckling home supporter at full-time, but he quickly silenced the taunt by flashing a cheeky gesture to celebrate the derby triumph.
Defender silences home heckler
As he walked off the pitch after the final whistle, a Fulham supporter shouted "Chelsea reject" at Chilwell from just yards away. The 29-year-old left-back, who completed a deadline-day return to Palace, fired straight back by shaping his fingers into an 'L' and telling the heckler to "take the L (loss)". The defender's cheeky response capped off a memorable afternoon for Palace after securing all three points at the home of their London rivals.
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Eagles mount stunning comeback
Hosts Fulham led twice through a deflected strike from Joshua King and Cesar Palacios's first goal for the club. However, Palace refused to buckle as Tyrick Mitchell produced an outstanding display to net two crucial equalisers at Craven Cottage. Just three minutes after replacing Mitchell, Chilwell pounced on a loose ball with a thunderous 77th-minute volley to seal an emphatic 3-2 comeback victory for Pierre Sage's side.
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Sage's men now brace for a demanding three-pronged test at Selhurst Park, starting with a midweek Carabao Cup clash against Middlesbrough. The Eagles quickly return to Premier League action against Ipswich Town before launching their UEFA Europa League league phase against Polish giants Lech Poznan. Juggling cup knockout stakes, league momentum, and continental ambitions in rapid succession will immediately put Palace's squad depth and fresh additions to the test.