Chelsea Dominate Fulham 2-0 in Fiery West London Derby Despite Controversy
Chelsea delivered a below-par performance but still managed to defeat their west London neighbors Fulham 2-0 in a contentious Premier League clash during Saturday's early kickoff.
The Blues returned to their home ground following a commanding win over West Ham United, after being held to a draw by Crystal Palace in their season opener at Stamford Bridge. While their second gameweek fixture had started with intensity, this Saturday afternoon's opening period was more restrained.
Fulham, who mounted a comeback to secure a draw against Manchester United the previous Sunday, started positively, restricting their hosts and creating several early pressing opportunities. Both keepers remained untested during the first 20 minutes, though Chelsea suffered an early setback when Liam Delap sustained a hamstring problem.
The away side believed they had taken the lead when young Josh King broke through Chelsea's backline and calmly slotted past Robert Sánchez. However, despite minimal on-field protests, the video assistant referee (VAR) stepped in and ruled out King's excellent finish due to Rodrigo Muniz's infringement on Trevoh Chalobah during the buildup.
This ruling caused fury among the Fulham coaching staff, with Marco Silva justifiably feeling hard done by.
The Portuguese manager's frustration deepened before halftime when Chelsea broke the deadlock through their fourth set-piece strike of the campaign. Though Fulham had been the better side during the opening 45 minutes, João Pedro's header from Enzo Fernández's precise corner delivery gave Enzo Maresca's team an unmerited advantage at the interval.
More VAR drama unfolded early in the second period, as the Blues received a penalty for Ryan Sessegnon's handball, despite João Pedro also handling the ball prior to the incident. Fernández successfully converted from the spot to extend Chelsea's advantage.
The extended stoppage and second strike deflated the previously energetic visitors, allowing the Blues to finally enjoy extended spells of control. They threatened a third goal when Estêvão tested Bernd Leno with a decent effort.
Chelsea were content to let the match drift toward its finish, though Pedro was needed at the back to clear a dangerous attempt off the goalline, which might have given Fulham hope during added time. That represented the Cottagers' best opportunity in the second half, as the Blues comfortably secured all three points.
Chelsea Player Ratings vs. Fulham (4-2-3-1)
*Ratings provided by FotMob
Player | Rating (Out of 10) |
|---|---|
GK: Robert Sánchez | 7.6 |
RB: Malo Gusto | 7.8 |
CB: Trevoh Chalobah | 7.9 |
CB: Tosin Adarabioyo | 7.7 |
LB: Marc Cucurella | 7.8 |
CM: Moisés Caicedo | 8.1 |
CM: Enzo Fernández (c) | 8.5 |
RW: Estêvão | 6.7 |
AM: João Pedro | 8.2 |
LW: Pedro Neto | 7.4 |
ST: Liam Delap | 5.7 |
SUB: Tyrique George (15' for Delap) | 6.0 |
SUB: Jamie Gittens (68' for Estêvão) | 6.2 |
SUB: Andrey Santos (81' for George) | N/A |
SUB: Reece James (81' for Neto) | N/A |
Subs not used: Filip Jørgensen (GK), Jorrel Hato, Josh Acheampong, Wesley Fofana, Dário Essugo.
Player of the Match: Enzo Fernández
Fulham (3-5-2): Bernd Leno; Kenny Tete, Joachim Andersen, Calvin Bassey; Timothy Castagne, Sander Berge, Saša Lukić; Alex Iwobi, Ryan Sessegnon; Joshua King, Rodrigo Muniz.
Subs: Benjamin Lacomte, Harrison Reed, Raúl Jiménez, Harry Wilson, Tom Cairney, Adama Traoré, Jorge Cuenca, Emile Smith Rowe, Antonee Robinson.