Chelsea secured a 3-2 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage on August 24, 2026, marking Xabi Alonso's Premier League managerial debut with a victory [1, 2, 3]. The Blues opened the scoring just 31 seconds in, when Cole Palmer assisted Joao Pedro for the early goal [1, 2, 3].

Morgan Rogers, signed from Aston Villa for a British record fee of £117 million, scored his first goal for Chelsea in the 41st minute on his debut. The goal came from a cross by new £52 million centre-back Maxence Lacroix after a dribble down the right flank [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Early in the second half, Cole Palmer scored Chelsea’s third, assisted by Joao Pedro [1, 2, 3]. Alonso praised Palmer's impact, saying, "I'm very happy for Cole because I have really enjoyed seeing him playing with this dynamism, with this freedom, with this responsibility... If Cole feels this way, we'll have a better team, a better Chelsea" [6].

Fulham fought back with two goals from Josh King and Gonzalo Garcia, who made his league debut after signing from Real Madrid [1, 2, 3]. Despite the scoreline, Fulham manager Alvaro Arbeloa praised his team's effort and high-pressure style, stating, "My players they did what they had to do. I can’t be happy because we lost this game… But I think this is the way that we have to play" [6]. Fulham had a late chance to equalize in the 78th minute when Antonee Robinson lobbing over Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez went wide; Sanchez’s shaky performance drew criticism for failing to stop that attempt and struggling with some plays [2, 7, 8].

Chelsea generated 18 shots with 6 on target over the course of the match [6, 9]. Rogers was substituted with about 10 minutes remaining due to fatigue. The midfielder remarked, "I didn’t feel that sharp towards the end, I was a bit tired... I still think there are more gears to go, and I’ve got to try and find them as quickly as possible because the games are coming thick and fast" [4].

Xabi Alonso said of his key players, "They are going to be a very important part to build around them, to build the team with them. They need to take responsibility. They need to lead the rest. They need to inspire the rest because if they do great, the other ones will follow" [3]. During the match, Chelsea substitute Enzo Fernandez was booed by the Fulham fans when entering the pitch [2, 8].

Chelsea will next face Luton Town in the League Cup on August 27, 2026 [4, 10].