The final match of the opening round of the 2026/27 English Premier League season became a triumphant debut for Xabi Alonso as Chelsea's head coach. At Craven Cottage, the London "Blues" secured a come-from-behind, dramatic victory over Fulham with a score of 3-2, marking the first win of the new manager's career. The match was truly spectacular: five goals, three scorelines that changed within 54 minutes, and a final whistle that went in the visitors' favour. Notably, Ukrainian midfielder Mykhailo Mudryk was absent from Chelsea's squad for this game, as were the injured Jordan Henderson and Wesley Fofana.
Match flow: from Pedro's lightning goal to Palmer's saving strike
Chelsea did not wait long and opened the scoring in the very first minute of the match. Cole Palmer set up Joao Pedro for a one-on-one with Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno, and the Brazilian calmly converted the chance, beating the opposition keeper. The hosts, however, did not let the visitors relax: in the 23rd minute, Joshua King equalised, bringing the intrigue back into the match. It seemed the first half could end in a draw, but Morgan Rogers restored the "Blues'" lead four minutes before the break — in the 41st minute. In the second half, Joao Pedro "repaid the debt" to Palmer, delivering an assist in the 49th minute, and the score became 3-1 in Chelsea's favour. Fulham did not give up: in the 54th minute, Gonzalo Garcia, after waiting for an error by Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, scored his debut goal for the "Daggers" and narrowed the gap to one goal. Nevertheless, the hosts failed to force an equaliser, and the final score was 3-2 in Chelsea's favour.
Alonso's squad decisions: Mudryk left out of the squad
The main squad decision by Xabi Alonso ahead of his debut match was the exclusion of Mykhailo Mudryk from the matchday squad against Fulham. The Ukrainian midfielder did not even make the extended list of players, which sent a signal that the new Chelsea manager does not yet see a place for him in the starting lineup. In addition to Mudryk, the injured Jordan Henderson and Wesley Fofana did not take part in the match. Thus, Alonso had to build the game with a limited squad, which, however, did not prevent his team from winning. The photo captures the moment of Chelsea's goal celebration — players in blue kits perform their signature crossed-arms movement, while the stands at Craven Cottage are filled with spectators.
Round two: Chelsea host Brighton, Fulham travel to Sunderland
On 30 August at 16:00 Kyiv time, the second round of the Premier League kicks off. Xabi Alonso's Chelsea will host Brighton at Stamford Bridge, while Fulham under Alvaro Arbeloa will travel for an away match against Sunderland. For Alonso, this will be his first home game as head coach, and the "Blues'" fans will be hoping for a continuation of the winning streak started at Craven Cottage. For Mudryk, by contrast, the second round could become a chance to make his case and reclaim a place in the first team.
Context of the opening round: Newcastle and Liverpool nearly caused an upset
Apart from the London derby, the opening round of the 2026/27 Premier League was also marked by the Newcastle vs Liverpool match, which, according to the source, turned out to be tense: Andoni Iraola's team "narrowly avoided an away defeat". Thus, the opening round of the new Premier League season gave fans several intriguing confrontations, and Alonso's winning debut at Chelsea became, perhaps, the main storyline of the weekend for London and Ukrainian football fans.
