Debutant Morgan Rogers was on target, and Cole Palmer added another, in a scintillating display, as Chelsea beat Fulham 3-2 in Xabi Alonso’s first game in charge.
The Blues scored the earliest ever goal in a Premier League season, when Joao Pedro netted, latching onto Palmer’s through-ball, after 35 seconds.
Palmer was back to his best, perhaps proving a point after not being selected in England’s World Cup squad, and was involved in the build-up for Chelsea’s second, a tap-in for Rogers from Maxence Lacroix’s square ball.
He went close to goal a couple of times before he ran onto Joao Pedro’s pass to squeeze a shot through Bernd Leno’s legs for Chelsea’s third.
While Xabi Alonso will have been happy with his attack, he cannot have been happy with defensive lapses and, especially, his goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, who allowed an admittedly firm drive from Josh King to beat him at the near post for an equaliser. He then pushed Timothy Castagne’s effort straight into the path of another debutant, Gonzalo Garcia, for a goal which kept the hosts in the match.
There will surely be more changes in the next week for the Blues, and while boosting their goalkeeping and defensive will be needed for them to challenge for the title, they look set to be as entertaining as any team this term.
