Xabi Alonso wins Premier League debut as Chelsea edge five-goal thriller at Fulham

Xabi Alonso marked his first Premier League match as Chelsea manager with a hard-fought 3-2 win at Craven Cottage, as two debutants helped the Blues survive a nervy finish against Fulham.

Chelsea were ahead inside 31 seconds when Cole Palmer slipped Joao Pedro through on goal, the Brazilian dinking the ball over Bernd Leno to give Alonso’s side the perfect start. The lead did not last, however, as goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was beaten at his near post by Josh King in what proved an entirely avoidable equaliser.

Chelsea regained control through an unlikely combination. Centre-back Maxence Lacroix drove forward, reached the byline and pulled the ball back for fellow new arrival Morgan Rogers, who slotted home on his debut to restore the advantage. Palmer then added a third after the interval, guiding the ball through Leno’s legs to seemingly put the game to bed.

Sanchez’s afternoon unravelled again when he parried a Castagne shot directly into the path of Gonzalo Garcia, who reduced the deficit and set up a tense finale. Fulham pressed for an equaliser but Chelsea held on, with Sanchez at least redeeming himself partially by denying Ryan Sessegnon late on.

Lacroix was the standout performer in a Chelsea shirt, earning an 8/10 rating for a display that combined defensive assurance with an unexpected attacking contribution. Rogers matched that score on his debut, benefiting from Lacroix’s run but finishing with composure. Sanchez, by contrast, was rated 4/10 after a display that encapsulated the inconsistency that has long undermined his time at the club.

Reece James provided composure in midfield after coming on, while Levi Colwill had a difficult evening — booked inside five minutes and culpable for Fulham’s second goal after misjudging a bouncing ball that fell to Castagne.

The result gives Alonso a winning start in English football’s top flight and hands Chelsea early momentum, though the defensive frailties on show — three goals conceded across the two sides in little over an hour — will give the Spaniard plenty to address in the coming weeks.