LONDON — Chelsea kicked off their 2026–27 Premier League campaign in breathless fashion, securing a 3-2 victory against west London rivals Fulham at Craven Cottage. The match marked a winning competitive debut for new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso against his former Real Madrid teammate, new Fulham boss Álvaro Arbeloa.
João Pedro needed just 31 seconds to open the scoring, lifting a clever finish over Bernd Leno after Cole Palmer pounced on a defensive lapse.
Youngster Josh King capitalized on a mistake from Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez to draw the hosts level.
Chelsea’s £117 million summer acquisition Morgan Rogers restored the lead before halftime, converting a cutback from debuting centre-back Maxence Lacroix.
Cole Palmer put Chelsea 3-1 up shortly after the restart with a sharp finish from a tight angle off a João Pedro assist.
Gonzalo García headed home to cut the deficit to 3-2 after Sánchez parried Timothy Castagne’s effort, setting up a tense finish, but Chelsea held on for all three points.
“It was a professional performance. To win away in the Premier League is really tough and we knew we were prepared for that to manage emotionally… Today I am happy that all three scored.”
“We deserved a little bit more, but football is not about what you deserve, it’s about what you take. This is how we’re going to play no matter who is in front of us.”
