Chelsea got off to a winning start in the Premier League under Xabi Alonso with an entertaining 3-2 win over Fulham on Monday night.
Morgan Rogers scored on his Chelsesa debut following his £117million move to the Blues over the summer, with Joao Pedro and Player-of-the-match Cole Palmer scoring during an exciting introduction for their new-look front three.
Fulham were close to getting something out of the game, however, with Josh King cancelling out Pedro’s opener in the first half before debutant Gonzalo Garcia also finding the net in the second half.
Pedro gets Alonso reign off to lightning start
After many of their potential rivals at the top end of the pitch, Chelsea knew they had the chance to make a statement under their new manager and they made the ideal start after only 31 seconds when Pedro put them 1-0 up at Craven Cottage.
After Levi Colwill cleared a long ball into the feet of Cole Palmer, the England forward took one touch and slid in his attacking partner Pedro, who chipped the ball over Bernd Leno with terrific composure.
There were promising early signs for their new-look attacking trio, with Palmer and Pedro combining well with £117million signing Rogers as Chelsea made a strong start.
It was Rogers who was able to win the ball high up and feed his friend Palmer, who took slightly too long before cutting inside and saw his shot blocked.
Despite the visitors dominating early on, a handful of moments will have given Fulham encouragement for a way into the game, with a driving Josh King run creating a nervy moment for the Chelsea backline.
King smashes Fulham back level
And moments later, it was promising youngster King who was celebrating the equaliser after finding space again on the right-hand side of the box, before he smashed an effort past Robert Sanchez, who absolutely should have done better with the shot very central.
Fulham continued on the front foot from that moment and had Chelsea on the ropes, with Timothy Catagne’s volley blocked before Gonzalo Garcia look destined to score before vital block.
But a few minutes later, a huge Chelsea chance went begging when the lively Palmer teed it up for Pedro again, with the Brazilian whiskers wide with an audacious acrobatic effort.
Rogers opens account
Chelsea went back in front after 41 minutes after a combination between their two big-money signings, with Maxence Lacroix skipping past the Fulham defenders with ease before Rogers tucked the ball home.
Once again Palmer was involved in the build-up, and Chelsea’s main man would have been fully deserving of the goal which nearly came moments after when his shot whistled the wrong side of the post.
Palmer stars for Blues
But within four minutes of the restart, Palmer did have his deserved goal as a long ball forward found Pedro, who waited for his strike partner to overlap him before slotting the ball through Leno’s legs.
After a difficult campaign last season, Palmer looked back to his brilliant best and was undoubtedly the star of the show on Monday night, boding well for him to be the centrepiece of Alonso’s tenure.
Shortly after, Jorrell Hato was the man released on the left, with the defender chopping inside before Rogers was just beaten to the ball by a defender.
The game was thrown right back in the balance once again when another debutant scored on debut as Garcia reacted quickest to Sanchez fumbling another shot as the ex-Real Madrid youngster made it 3-2.
Chelsea hold on
Chelsea’s defensive vulnerabilities that has plagued them in previous years was on show again, allowing Fulham to keep the pressure on late in the game.
Sanchez – who endured another difficult night – came charging out his net to thwart Antonee Robinson, but the USA left-back couldn’t guide his chip into the net despite getting there first.
Ryan Sessegnon kept Sanchez busy after looping the ball over Josh Acheampong but the substitute could only fire it at the Spanish keeper.
Pedro then had time to put the ball in the net once again but the Brazilian’s finish was rightly ruled out for offside.
It didn’t matter though as Chelsea held on for full-time for a victory which will have provided plenty of excitement – but also plenty of questions for Alonso.
What’s next? Fulham, Chelsea fixtures
Both clubs are at home to third-tier teams in the EFL Cup second round on Thursday. Fulham face AFC Wimbledon at 20:00 BST (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT), 30 minutes after Chelsea’s game against Luton Town starts.
They then return to Premier League action on Sunday at 14:00 BST (09:00 ET / 06:00 PT).
| Fixture | Date | UK broadcaster |
| Sunderland vs Fulham | Sun, Aug 30 | Sky Sports |
| Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion | Sun, Aug 30 | Sky Sports |
Fulham team vs Chelsea
Two of Fulham’s new signings started, with Cesar Palacios in midfield and Gonzalo Garcia in attack.
Midfielder Shea Charles, who signed for £30 million from Southampton earlier this month, was on the bench.
Fulham starting XI: Bernd Leno, Timothy Castagne, Calvin Bassey, Jorge Cuenca, Antonee Robinson, Sander Berge, Alex Iwobi, Josh King, Oscar Bobb, Gonzalo Garcia, Ezequiel Palacios
Fulham substitutes: Benjamin Lecomte, Kenny Tete, Harrison Reed, Rodrigo Muniz, Kevin, Shea Charles, Ryan Sessegnon, Emile Smith Rowe, Luc de Fougerolles
Chelsea team vs Fulham
Midfielder Morgan Rogers and defender Maxence Lacroix made their competitive debuts for Chelsea.
Fellow newcomers Mike Penders, Pep Chavarria, Valentin Barco, Geovany Quenda and Danny Welbeck were on the bench, as was Enzo Fernandez, who is being heavily linked with a move to Manchester City before the transfer window shuts on September 1.
Chelsea starting XI: Robert Sanchez, Josh Acheampong, Maxence Lacroix, Levi Colwill, Malo Gusto, Reece James, Romeo Lavia, Jorrel Hato, Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, Joao Pedro
Chelsea substitutes: Mike Penders, Pep Chavarria, Valentin Barco, Enzo Fernandez, Estevao, Jamie Gittens, Pedro Neto, Geovany Quenda, Danny Welbeck
Fulham vs Chelsea stats
- Fulham began a Premier League season with a London derby for a fourth time, having lost the previous three: 2-1 Arsenal in 2007/08, 2-0 at home to Crystal Palace in 2018/19 and 3-0 at home to Arsenal in 2020/21
- They had won their opener in one of their preceding six Premier League seasons (D2 L3), beating Everton away in 2023/24
- In 2026, only Manchester United (8) have won more Premier League home games than Fulham, with the Cottagers victorious in six of their previous nine at Craven Cottage (L3)
- This was both Arbeloa and Alonso’s first Premier League match as managers. The pair played 46 league games alongside one another for Liverpool from 2007 to 2009, losing four of (W28 D14)
- That made this the first time any manager’s first Premier League game had come against another manager he was a teammate of as a player in the competition
- Chelsea had lost their most recent meeting with Fulham (2-1 away in January in the Premier League) but hadn’t lost consecutive games against them across all competitions since a run of three between April 1977 and October 1979
- The Blues had failed to win their opening league game in each of the preceding three seasons (D2 L1), last going four in a row without a win between 1995/96 and 1998/99
- Alonso became the 27th manager to take charge of at least one Premier League game with Chelsea, overtaking Tottenham (26) as the most by any side (counting joint-managers as one)
- Two of Chelsea’s previous eight managers had won their first league game in charge (D4 L2), with both in London derbies: Graham Potter vs Crystal Palace in October 2022 and Liam Rosenior vs Brentford in January 2026
- Danny Welbeck is in his 19th Premier League season, playing at least once in every campaign since and including 2008/09. This will be the joint-most seasons played in by any striker in the competition’s history, equalling Jermain Defoe (19) and overtaking Peter Crouch (18)
- These managers were the 10th and 11th to take charge of a specific Premier League side for the first time this weekend, which is the outright most on matchday in a single campaign (excluding 1992/93) in the competition’s history (previously nine, in 2012/13 and 2016/17)
