Chelsea began Xabi Alonso's first season in senior management with a battling 3-2 win at Fulham on Monday, Joao Pedro scoring inside 31 seconds before Cole Palmer inspired the visitors to hold off a spirited fightback at Craven Cottage.
Morgan Rogers, a £117million summer signing, scored on his competitive debut before Palmer added a third early in the second half. Fulham twice pulled level, through Josh King and new signing Gonzalo Garcia, to make for a tense finish.
Chelsea finished tenth in the Premier League last season, a campaign that cost both Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior their jobs as manager. Alonso was appointed on the back of leading Bayer Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title in 2023 without losing a match, a campaign in which they beat Bayern Munich, though his subsequent spell in charge of Real Madrid was short-lived.
Some pundits have tipped Chelsea for the title this season, reasoning that missing out on European competition has freed the club to focus solely on the Premier League and that key players such as Palmer and Rogers will be fresher for it.
The match also offered signs of a more coherent recruitment strategy in the fifth year of Chelsea's BlueCo ownership. After co-owner Todd Boehly's early spending spree and a subsequent focus on signing young players for resale, Chelsea have brought in senior figures Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck this summer, both of whom have more than twice as many Premier League appearances as anyone else in the current squad.
Early goal settles the Cottage
It took Chelsea just 31 seconds to break the deadlock. New signing Maxence Lacroix intercepted a long ball out of the Fulham defence and headed it back to the edge of the area. Palmer flicked it into the path of Joao Pedro, who lifted a delicate finish over Bernd Leno.
Chelsea were nearly punished for a defensive lapse soon after when Levi Colwill let a pass run under his foot. Oscar Bobb nicked the ball away and set off for goal before Colwill hauled him down. Fulham's fans appealed for a red card, but Colwill escaped with a yellow.
Fulham hit back through King
Fulham, managed by Alvaro Arbeloa, an old friend and teammate of Alonso, grew into the game. Josh King forced a save from Robert Sanchez that the goalkeeper could only palm behind, then set up Cesar Palacios, who curled a shot over the bar.
King got his goal midway through the first half, rifling a shot toward the near post that Sanchez got a hand to but could not keep out.
Rogers and Palmer turn the tide
Chelsea regained control before the interval. Joao Pedro volleyed just wide, Reece James mishit a good chance and Leno saved well from Romeo Lavia, with Palmer influential throughout. His omission from Thomas Tuchel's England squad looked increasingly hard to justify.
Chelsea's dominance told five minutes before half-time. Palmer found Lacroix, who turned his marker inside out in the Fulham box and crossed low for Rogers, on his competitive debut, to drill the ball in from close range.
Palmer opened the second half with a mazy dribble that ended with a shot curled just wide, then combined with Joao Pedro moments later, running onto a pass and threading the ball between Leno's legs to make it 3-1.
Garcia and Robinson give Fulham hope
Fulham refused to give up. Timothy Castagne got in behind Colwill and Sanchez could only push his shot back into danger, allowing £40million summer signing Gonzalo Garcia to nod the rebound in off the underside of the crossbar.
Enzo Fernandez, who Chelsea are looking to sell to Manchester City before the transfer window closes, came on to a chorus of boos midway through the second half. Moises Caicedo, who is injured, had not featured in the squad at all, yet Fernandez still began the match among the substitutes.
Fulham had one more chance to snatch a point when Antonee Robinson ran onto a long ball in behind the Chelsea defence twelve minutes from time. With Sanchez stranded, Robinson lobbed the goalkeeper, but the ball drifted just wide.
Chelsea held on for the win, though Palmer gave his side a scare late on when he pulled up clutching his calf in what appeared to be cramp.
