Chelsea began the 2026/27 Premier League season with a thrilling 3–2 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Monday, August 24, giving new manager Xabi Alonso a winning start in his first competitive match in charge.
The visitors needed just 31 seconds to break the deadlock. Cole Palmer slipped a clever pass through to João Pedro, who raced behind the Fulham defense and calmly finished to give Chelsea an early 1–0 advantage. The goal set the tone for an entertaining West London derby.
Fulham gradually settled into the game and began putting Chelsea under pressure. Their persistence paid off when Josh King levelled the score in the 23rd minute, capitalizing on a costly mistake from the Blues goalkeeper Robert Sánchez. The equalizer gave Fulham renewed confidence and turned the contest into an end-to-end battle.
Chelsea, however, regained the lead before half-time. New signing Morgan Rogers marked his Chelsea debut with a goal, finishing a move created by Maxence Lacroix. Rogers’ strike restored Chelsea’s advantage and gave Alonso’s side a 2–1 lead going into the interval.
After the break, Blues extended their advantage. Cole Palmer found the net to make it 3–1, capping an impressive individual performance after also contributing to João Pedro’s opening goal. Chelsea’s attacking trio of Palmer, João Pedro and Rogers provided constant problems for Fulham’s defense.
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Fulham refused to surrender. Gonzalo García, making his debut for the club, pulled another goal back to make it 3–2. The goal gave the home side momentum and set up a tense final period at Craven Cottage.
Fulham pushed forward in search of an equalizer, while the Blues were forced to defend their narrow advantage. The Blues survived the late pressure to secure all three points and begin their Premier League campaign with a victory.
The result gives Alonso an encouraging start, particularly because Chelsea’s attacking players showed considerable promise. However, the performance also exposed defensive weaknesses, with Sánchez’s mistakes providing Fulham with opportunities. The Blues will need to improve their defensive organization and goalkeeping if they are to challenge consistently throughout the campaign.
For Fulham and new manager Álvaro Arbeloa, the defeat was disappointing, but there were plenty of positives. The hosts showed character after conceding almost immediately and twice came from behind to keep themselves in the contest. Youngsters Josh King and Gonzalo García were among the standout performers.
Ultimately, Chelsea’s attacking quality proved decisive. João Pedro, Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer all scored as the Blues claimed a 3–2 victory and started the new Premier League season with three points.
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