João Pedro, Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer were all on target as Chelsea survived a late Fulham fightback to secure three points at Craven Cottage.

Chelsea began the 2026/27 Premier League campaign with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage, handing new manager Xabi Alonso a winning start in his first league match in charge.

Chelsea made a flying start, taking the lead just 32 seconds into the game through João Pedro. The early goal gave the visitors an immediate advantage and set the tone for an entertaining London derby.

Fulham, however, responded strongly and drew level in the 23rd minute when Josh King found the back of the net to restore parity.

Chelsea regained the lead shortly before half-time, with Morgan Rogers scoring on his debut to send Alonso's side into the break 2-1 ahead.

The visitors extended their advantage four minutes after the restart. Cole Palmer combined effectively with João Pedro and Rogers before finishing the move to put Chelsea 3-1 up in the 49th minute.

Fulham refused to surrender and reduced the deficit just five minutes later, with Gonzalo García scoring to make it 3-2.

The hosts continued to push for an equaliser as the match entered its closing stages, putting Chelsea under considerable pressure. Alonso's side, however, held firm to secure all three points in an entertaining opening-day encounter.

The result gives Alonso an ideal start to his Premier League tenure and provides an early indication of the attacking options available to him at Stamford Bridge.

João Pedro, Rogers and Palmer all found the net, with the trio playing key roles in Chelsea's new-look attack.

Chelsea will now look to build on the victory as the new Premier League season gathers pace, while Fulham will be left to reflect on a spirited performance that ultimately yielded no points.