Chelsea edge Fulham, Alonso off to winning start

Xabi Alonso began his tenure as Chelsea manager with a 3-2 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage on August 24, 2026. João Pedro scored after just 31 seconds, and summer signing Morgan Rogers — acquired for a club-record £117 million — marked his debut with a goal, while Cole Palmer also scored to give Chelsea a 3-1 lead. Fulham pulled one back through Gonzalo García, but Chelsea held on for the win despite ongoing defensive concerns highlighted by Robert Sanchez's error for Josh King's equaliser.