It wouldn’t be a Fulham game if Joao Palhinha wasn’t at the centre of it and Brighton & Hove Albion learnt that the hard way today.
Covering the match on Sky Sports News, Jamie O’Hara was reviewing a tight game at the Amex.
Scoring goals is becoming a bigger and bigger issue for Marco Silva’s side this season.
It was another disappointing outing for Raul Jimenez who wasn’t pleased when he was brought off before the hour mark.
He was replaced with Rodrigo Muniz as Carlos Vinicius wasn’t in the squad that travelled to the south coast.
Evan Ferguson had given Brighton the lead in the first half and Roberto De Zerbi would have been frustrated his side didn’t make more of their dominating in the opening 45 minutes.
Silva’s side grew into the game in the second half and there was only one man who was going to make the difference.
Joao Palhinha scored an excellent goal for Fulham from outside the box, beating Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele and ultimately earning his side a point.
The speculation surrounding his future in the summer appears to have been put to the back of his mind.
The passion with which he celebrated his goal suggests that even if he does depart in the near future, it’s not because of his lack of love for the club.
Palhinha stars for Fulham vs Brighton
Talking through the Portuguese midfielder’s goal, O’Hara said: “It’s a goal to Fulham, it’s 1-1. It’s a brilliant goal actually, they’ve been better in the second half.
“They’ve tried to press from the front, making it a little bit more difficult and that’s where it comes from.
“The keeper tries to play it into midfield, they give it away and [Joao] Palhinha’s on the edge of the box.
“He’s got his back to goal and he just hits one on the swivel, and he bends it into the top corner, no chance for the keeper, 1-1.
“The rain is pouring down, the pitch is making it a little bit more difficult and Fulham have got their tail between their legs and they’re going after Brighton because it’s been really comfortable for them.”
Brighton may feel slightly hard done by that Palhinha was still on the pitch for Fulham at this point.
A flailing elbow in the first half went unpunished and if he had been given his marching orders then it would have been a very different game.
Silva still has several positions on the pitch where he needs to work out who his best player is.
There’s one man who will always be the first name on the team sheet though and that’s Joao Palhinha.