Temi Kings
Xabi Alonso earned his first official victory as Chelsea head coach as his side produced an electric attacking display to defeat Fulham 3-2 in a chaotic West London derby at Craven Cottage.
The Blues wasted no time establishing control, stunning the home crowd just 31 seconds into the match. Levi Colwill intercepted a loose pass and picked out Cole Palmer, who immediately slipped a precise through-ball into João Pedro to chip over Bernd Leno for a 1-0 lead. Fulham responded well and restored parity in the 22nd minute when young winger Josh King found space on the right side of the penalty box and smashed an effort past Robert Sánchez. However, Chelsea restored their advantage shortly before halftime in the 40th minute when £117 million summer signing Morgan Rogers marked his competitive debut by tapping home an assist from Maxence Lacroix.
Alonso's side carried their momentum directly into the second half, doubling their lead four minutes after the restart. In the 48th minute, João Pedro turned provider, finding Cole Palmer inside the box to sweep home Chelsea's third goal. Fulham refused to back down and cut the deficit back to 3-2 in the 54th minute through substitute Gonzalo García. Despite late pressure from the Cottagers, Alonso's restructured 3-4-3 system held firm through stoppage time to secure a statement opening victory on the road.