Xabi Alonso has began his Chelsea managerial reign with a victory as the Blues edged Fulham 3-2 in an entertaining west London derby at Craven Cottage on Monday night.
Chelsea made a sensational start, taking the lead after just 30 seconds. Cole Palmer slipped a clever pass into the path of João Pedro, who broke beyond the Fulham defence before calmly finishing to give Alonso the perfect opening to his tenure.
João Pedro’s early strike was the fastest time a goal has ever been scored in opening weekend of a Premier League season.
Fulham responded strongly and restored parity through Joshua King, who punished Chelsea’s defensive uncertainty to make it 1-1. Álvaro Arbeloa, beginning his first Premier League game as Fulham manager, saw his side grow into the contest after the early setback.
Chelsea regained the advantage before half-time when Morgan Rogers found the net on his competitive debut for the club.
The England international, who arrived from Aston Villa in a British transfer record fee of £117 million deal, immediately justified the faith placed in him by finishing another promising attacking move.
Five minutes inside the second half, Palmer then added Chelsea’s third goal, capping an influential display that also included assists for João Pedro. His involvement in all three goals underlined his importance to Alonso’s attacking plans as Chelsea sought to begin their campaign on a positive note.
Fulham refused to surrender and reduced the deficit through Gonzalo Garcia, who marked his debut with a goal to set up a tense finish. The hosts continued to threaten Chelsea’s defence, but the visitors survived the late pressure to secure all three points.
The result gives Alonso an encouraging first competitive victory as Chelsea manager, although the performance also exposed defensive weaknesses that will need attention.
Fulham’s pressing and attacking intensity repeatedly caused problems, suggesting there is still considerable work ahead for Alonso despite the promising attacking display.
Chelsea Maintain Strong Premier League Record Against Fulham
The victory further strengthens Chelsea’s impressive Premier League record against their west London neighbours. Before Monday’s meeting, Chelsea had won 22 of the previous 36 Premier League encounters, while Fulham had recorded three victories and 11 matches had ended level.
Monday’s result therefore moved Chelsea to 23 Premier League wins against Fulham. The broader historical rivalry is even more favourable to Chelsea, who have won 53 of their 92 meetings across all competitions.
The victory was also significant for Alonso, who arrived at Stamford Bridge with the task of rebuilding Chelsea after a turbulent previous campaign. The Blues finished 10th last season and have undergone another major squad overhaul, with the club bringing in experienced figures alongside expensive young talent.
However, the evening was not entirely comfortable for Chelsea. Enzo Fernández was booed by sections of the visiting supporters when he entered the game, amid continued speculation over his future.
Manchester City have reportedly considered a late move for the Argentine midfielder, although Alonso had previously stressed that Fernández remained a Chelsea player and praised his attitude in training.
For Arbeloa, the defeat marked a difficult beginning to his Fulham tenure, but his team showed enough attacking quality to suggest they can be competitive under their new manager.
Ultimately, Chelsea’s superior attacking quality proved decisive. João Pedro, Rogers and Palmer all scored, giving Alonso a winning introduction and Chelsea an early statement of intent as they look to recover from last season’s disappointment.
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