Rogers’ debut goal
Morgan Rogers, who signed from Aston Villa last month, struck on his Chelsea debut in a 3-2 victory over Fulham on Monday. He scored four minutes before halftime, slotting home a sweet cutback from Maxence Lacroix. The Brazilian João Pedro opened the scoring for Chelsea after just 32 seconds, but Josh King equalised for Fulham midway through the first half.
Key moments
Cole Palmer, one of Chelsea’s standout performers, added a third goal after 49 minutes. He fired home from a tight angle after running onto João Pedro’s pass. Fulham responded quickly, with Gonzalo García heading in after Sanchez could only parry Timothy Castagne’s low shot. The visitors pushed forward in search of a winner but were unable to find the back of the net.
Alonso’s first day
New coach Xabi Alonso praised the performance, calling it “a good first day.” He said, “It is a great combination and great quality. We know that if we reach them in a good position then they have this talent to create special things. Today I am happy that all three scored.” The fixture also matched Alonso against his former Real Madrid and Spain teammate Álvaro Arbeloa, who was making his first appearance in the Fulham dugout. Arbeloa admitted the team deserved more but was pleased with the players’ attitude, stating, “This is how we’re going to play no matter who is in front of us.” Both men had managed Real Madrid for periods last season before moving to England after being relieved of their duties at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Chelsea has spent more than 300 million pounds ($408 million) on new players and is one of the early favourites to challenge champion Arsenal.
