Chelsea were ahead after 31 seconds, 3-1 up by the hour, and still had to survive the last half hour
Xabi Alonso's first league game gave him three goals, three points and a goalkeeper he will want to talk to. Fulham had 61.5% of the ball and two goals that both went through Robert Sanchez.
Cole Palmer picked the ball up from the kick-off, Joao Pedro finished, and Xabi Alonso's Chelsea were ahead after thirty-one seconds. It is the kind of start that usually settles a game. This one it did not.
Fulham took the ball off Chelsea for most of the ninety minutes — 61.5% of it — and Josh King levelled on 23 with a shot that went through Robert Sanchez at his near post.
Palmer looks like Palmer again
Chelsea's answer came from their front three. Morgan Rogers, on debut, was unmarked at the back post to turn in Maxence Lacroix's cross on 41. Four minutes into the second half Rogers flicked one on for Palmer, who made it three.
That is a goal and an assist for Palmer on the opening day, after a season in which fitness kept getting in the way. Alonso will take it.
Five minutes later Sanchez spilled a Timothy Castagne effort and Goncalo Garcia turned in the rebound, and the last half hour became something Chelsea had to defend rather than manage. Antonee Robinson tried to chip Sanchez on 78 with the goalkeeper off his line and missed by some way.
Two managers, two readings
Alvaro Arbeloa saw enough to be encouraged: "If we continue to play in that way, we're going to win a lot of games." On the numbers he has a case — Fulham matched Chelsea for shots on target and out-passed them comfortably.
Alonso was not getting carried away either way: "It's day one. And normally it's easier to learn with three points."
Match facts
- 1' — Joao Pedro (Chelsea), 31 seconds in, set up by Cole Palmer
- 23' — Josh King (Fulham)
- 41' — Morgan Rogers (Chelsea), assisted by Maxence Lacroix
- 49' — Cole Palmer (Chelsea), assisted by Morgan Rogers
- 54' — Goncalo Garcia (Fulham), after a Robert Sanchez spill
| Stat | Fulham | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 61.5% | 38.5% |
| Total shots | 14 | 18 |
| Shots on target | 6 | 6 |
| Passes completed | 533 (86.0%) | 317 (81.5%) |
| Expected goals (xG) | 1.35 | 1.70 |
| Corners | 6 | 4 |
| Fouls conceded | 12 | 7 |
| Offsides | 0 | 3 |
| Yellow cards | 2 | 3 |
What's next
Both go again on Sunday 30 August. Fulham travel to Sunderland, a game their performance here says they should win. Chelsea host Brighton, who put four past Aston Villa on Sunday — and who will have noticed how the two Fulham goals went in.
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