Goals from João Pedro, Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer secured the three points for the Blues, who were twice pegged back by the home side in an entertaining west London derby.
Early Breakthrough
Chelsea made the perfect start. After just 32 seconds, Cole Palmer flicked a pass into the path of João Pedro, who broke clear of the Fulham defence and finished calmly past Bernd Leno to give the visitors an immediate lead.
Fulham responded well and levelled in the 23rd minute through Josh King, who finished a move involving Timothy Castagne. The equaliser sparked a competitive contest, with both sides creating opportunities in an open first half.
Chelsea regained the advantage just before the break. Excellent work from Maxence Lacroix created the opening for debutant Morgan Rogers, who swept the ball home to make it 2-1 at half-time.
Second-Half Drama
The Blues extended their lead early in the second half. João Pedro held the ball up intelligently and laid it off for Cole Palmer, who produced a composed finish to make it 3-1 in the 49th minute.
Fulham refused to surrender. In the 54th minute, Gonzalo García headed home from close range after Robert Sánchez spilled a shot from Timothy Castagne, reducing the deficit to 3-2 and setting up a tense final half-hour.
Despite late pressure from the hosts, Chelsea held firm to claim the victory. The result gave Alonso a winning start in his first Premier League match in charge and provided an early boost for the new campaign.
Key Performances
Cole Palmer was influential throughout, contributing an assist and a goal while dictating much of Chelsea’s attacking play. Morgan Rogers marked his debut with a well-taken goal, while João Pedro was a constant threat and involved in two of the three goals.
For Fulham, Josh King and Gonzalo García found the net, and the side showed enough quality to suggest they will remain competitive under new management. However, defensive lapses proved costly against a clinical Chelsea attack.
The victory lifts Chelsea to an early position of strength in the Premier League table, while Fulham will look to tighten up defensively in their next fixtures. Both teams contributed to an entertaining contest that underlined the competitive nature of the west London rivalry.