Chelsea began the Xabi Alonso era with a 3-2 win away at Fulham in an entertaining west London derby at Craven Cottage, as Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro all scored on the final match of the Premier League's opening weekend.
Joao Pedro fired the Blues ahead inside the first minute, but Fulham responded through Josh King to level the scores. Rogers, given a full debut by his new manager, put Chelsea back in front just before half-time to make it 1-2 at the break. Palmer then extended the lead early in the second half before Gonzalo Garcia pulled one back for Fulham. Chelsea also had a goal disallowed as they held on to secure the win.
Pedro needed just 31 seconds to break the deadlock with what was hailed as a superb finish. King equalised for Fulham on 23 minutes before Rogers restored Chelsea's advantage on 41 minutes. Palmer made it 1-3 on 49 minutes, assisted by Pedro, and Garcia responded for Fulham five minutes later to set up a tense finish.
Palmer, Rogers and Pedro shine
Chelsea's front three were the story of the night, with Palmer, Rogers and Pedro all finding the net and combining fluently throughout. Pedro also set up Palmer's goal on his way to a lively individual display.
Gary Neville, the former Manchester United captain working for Sky Sports, said: 'Cole Palmer was sensational. Him and Morgan Rogers were electric with Joao Pedro - the front three were brilliant. One of the best things I've seen this weekend.'
Alonso: 'We have managed well to suffer'
Alonso, speaking to Sky Sports after his first match in charge, said the win had not come easily. 'You don't really get relaxed when you have a lead of one goal,' he said. 'It was a really, really intense game and we know what it takes to win away games. We have managed well to suffer, to compete and to do whatever it takes in certain moments and that's why it feels great, these three points.'
He added: 'The early goal helped to get confidence, I think we had a few chances to score the second one before their equaliser but we were quite stable, we were quite comfortable even without the ball and were a threat. The three strikers were combining well and creating chances and at the end to know that to win games away you need to roll your sleeves up and fight and defend your goal. It's something we need to do for the future as well and it's a good first day for us.'
Arbeloa: 'A good lesson for us'
Fulham manager Alvaro Arbeloa said he was proud of his players despite the defeat. 'It's a new project. Time is something we coaches don't have. But if we continue to play in that way, we're going to win a lot of games,' he told Sky Sports. 'I'm really happy and proud of my players, what I saw from them. This is the way I want to play. And we're going to play no matter who is in front of us.'
He said the mistakes that led to Chelsea's goals could not be repeated. 'We made some mistakes we cannot make. When you play against a team like Chelsea with these top players and you concede that mistake they are going to punish you. It's a good lesson for us.'
Defensive concerns for Chelsea
Chelsea's defending drew scrutiny despite the win, with goalkeeper Robert Sanchez involved in mistakes that let Fulham back into the game and new centre-back signing Maxence Lacroix also unable to settle the backline.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, on Sky Sports, said: 'We're not saying anything we haven't said for the past three seasons. Chelsea will never win the league with Sanchez in goal - impossible, it can't happen. When you think of the teams who have won the title, the last three have all changed their goalkeeper; Pep brings Ederson in, Alisson comes in for Liverpool and Arsenal don't win the league if they have Ramsdale in goal and not Raya. Impossible.'
Daily Mail journalist Oliver Holt, reporting from Craven Cottage, said Chelsea's title prospects would depend on their defence improving. 'The title? Chelsea's defence will have to improve but anything is possible if Palmer can stay fit and play like this.'
Former Chelsea defender Paul Parker said Palmer looked to be enjoying his football again under Alonso. 'It seems like he's enjoying himself, to be honest. I think it's about who he's playing for. I think he's showing that he respects the person in charge,' he said. Parker added that Palmer was 'maybe the best No 9 in the league' alongside Rogers and Pedro.
Fulham's positives
Despite the defeat, Fulham were praised for their response after falling behind so early. New signing Gonzalo Garcia, a forward who joined from Real Madrid, scored his side's second goal and caused problems for the Chelsea defence throughout. Josh King was also a threat for the home side.
Fulham could arguably be said to have dominated the closing 35 minutes and might easily have earned a point, but Chelsea held firm to take all three points at Craven Cottage.
