English Premier League ; Fulham 2-3 Chelsea.

The visitors raced into an early lead and held on despite a spirited home fightback, securing three points in a match packed with attacking quality and defensive lapses on both sides. Alonso’s side showed plenty of promise going forward while still revealing areas that need tightening.

João Pedro opened the scoring after just 30 seconds when Cole Palmer slid a clever pass into his path, allowing the striker to race clear and finish calmly. Fulham responded well and equalised midway through the first half through Josh King, who capitalised on a goalkeeping error by Robert Sanchez to drill the ball home. Morgan Rogers then marked his Chelsea debut with a clinical finish just before the break, restoring the lead after excellent work from Maxence Lacroix.

Palmer continued his outstanding display early in the second half, adding a third goal with a precise finish set up by João Pedro’s intelligent hold-up play. Fulham refused to fold and pulled one back through Gonzalo García, who headed home after Sanchez again failed to deal cleanly with a delivery. The hosts pressed for an equaliser but Chelsea managed the closing stages effectively enough to claim the win.

The result hands Alonso a positive start as he begins the task of stabilising and elevating a talented squad. Palmer’s creative influence and the contributions of new and established attackers stood out, while Rogers’ debut goal offered an encouraging sign for the season ahead. Fulham, under Álvaro Arbeloa, showed enough quality and resilience to suggest they will remain competitive, even in defeat.

Both teams now turn their attention to the next fixtures, with Chelsea facing a quick turnaround in the cup and Fulham looking to build on the positives from a high-tempo derby. The match provided an entertaining snapshot of the new campaign, highlighting the attacking potential of Alonso’s Chelsea while underlining that defensive solidity will remain a work in progress.