Fulham's difficult start to the Premier League season deepened on Saturday as they were beaten 3-2 by Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage, prompting jeers from sections of the home crowd at the final whistle.
Alvaro Arbeloa's side twice held the lead in the first half but could not hold on, with Tyrick Mitchell scoring in each period to cancel out Fulham's goals before substitute Ben Chilwell struck the winner just three minutes after coming on for his second spell at Palace.
The result means Fulham have now lost all three of their opening Premier League fixtures, a fate shared this season only by Coventry City. It follows earlier defeats away at Sunderland and at home to Chelsea, the latter also ending 3-2.
Fulham took the lead through Josh King before summer arrival Cesar Palacios added a second, pouncing after Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson failed to fully clear an attempted intervention from Jaydee Canvot. Palacios converted the loose ball to give Fulham what looked a commanding position, only for Mitchell to respond either side of half-time and drag Palace level for a second time before Chilwell's decisive intervention.
Despite the scoreline, Fulham held the edge in underlying numbers, finishing with an expected goals tally of 3.13 compared to Palace's 1.97 - continuing a pattern from the opening weekend when they also pushed Chelsea close. However, such marginal statistical superiority offers little comfort with the club sitting on zero points from three matches.
Speaking to BBC's Match of the Day after the game, Arbeloa insisted his team did not deserve the defeat. "We didn't deserve to lose this game," he said. "My players did everything - good attitude, they were brave, so many chances to score more goals. They [Palace] took their chances - in the end football is about that."
He added: "We did many good things to win the game. It was similar against Chelsea but we lose. For the players it's a difficult situation, difficult moment, but I am very proud of them."
Arbeloa, who took over from Marco Silva after the Portuguese departed for Benfica following five years at the helm, is already facing scrutiny just three games into his tenure. The Spaniard, capped 56 times for his country and a European Championship and World Cup winner between 2008 and 2012, arrives with substantial pedigree, having spent the back end of last season as Real Madrid's caretaker manager following Xabi Alonso's exit, winning 18 of 28 matches in that spell.
History suggests the road ahead will not be easy - only six Premier League clubs have ever begun a campaign with five consecutive losses, and just two of those sides ultimately avoided relegation. Fulham's next assignments include away trips to Liverpool and a home meeting with Manchester United, plus a Carabao Cup third-round tie against West Ham, before the September and October international break offers a pause.
Arbeloa also praised individual performances from his summer recruits. Palacios and fellow new arrival Gonzalo Garcia have started all three league games so far, while Northern Ireland international Shea Charles made his first league start following a £30m move from Southampton. "Cesar Palacios and Gonzalo Garcia both had a great game. Cesar scored a goal, and for Gonzalo another great performance," Arbeloa said, highlighting the striker's work rate. "Good effort from Gonzalo. That's the spirit I want from my players... With that spirit and character, if we play in this way the victories will come."
For now, though, Fulham remain rooted at the bottom of the table with work to do to turn performances into points.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.