Chelsea began the new Premier League campaign with a hard-fought 3–2 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage, surviving a late fightback to secure all three points in an entertaining West London derby.
The visitors needed just 31 seconds to make their mark. João Pedro struck almost immediately, giving Chelsea the perfect start and putting early pressure on Fulham.
Fulham responded in the 23rd minute when Josh King capitalised on a costly mistake from Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez to bring the hosts level. The equaliser lifted the atmosphere at Craven Cottage and gave Fulham renewed confidence.
Chelsea, however, regained the lead before the break. Morgan Rogers, making his Chelsea debut, found the net in the 41st minute after being set up by Cole Palmer. It was a significant moment for Rogers as he began his Chelsea career with a goal in a high-profile London derby.
Palmer then took centre stage early in the second half, scoring in the 49th minute to extend Chelsea’s advantage to 3–1. The goal capped an influential performance from the England international, who was heavily involved in Chelsea’s attacking play.
Fulham refused to surrender. Gonzalo García pulled another goal back in the 54th minute, again following an error from Sánchez, setting up a tense final period. The hosts pushed forward in search of an equaliser, while Chelsea struggled to maintain the control they had enjoyed earlier in the match.
There was further late drama when João Pedro appeared to have scored again, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside following a VAR review. Fulham continued to press, but Chelsea ultimately held firm to leave Craven Cottage with a valuable 3–2 victory.
The result gives Xabi Alonso a winning start to his Chelsea reign, while Álvaro Arbeloa’s Fulham will take encouragement from the character shown after falling behind twice. Both managers were making their Premier League debuts, adding another layer of intrigue to an already fascinating London derby.
For Chelsea, the performance offered plenty of positives, particularly the attacking contributions of João Pedro, Rogers and Palmer. But the defensive mistakes that allowed Fulham back into the contest will be an area Alonso will want to address quickly.
In the end, Chelsea had enough quality to survive Fulham’s late pressure. The 3–2 scoreline reflected a match full of attacking quality, individual errors and late drama an exciting way to open the Premier League season at Craven Cottage.
