Cucurella Sees Red as Chelsea Clash with Fulham in Explosive West London Derby - Player Ratings Inside

Chelsea suffered a 2-1 loss to Fulham in the west London derby, extending their winless streak to five Premier League matches despite playing with ten men.

Interim manager Calum McFarlane oversaw his final game from the touchline while incoming boss Liam Rosenior observed from the Craven Cottage stands, though neither would have been pleased with Marc Cucurella's 22nd-minute dismissal for a professional foul as the last defender.

VAR came to Chelsea's rescue in first-half stoppage time when Harry Wilson's goal was disallowed for a marginal offside, but Raúl Jiménez couldn't be denied early in the second half as he nodded home the opener.

Liam Delap leveled the score as Chelsea fought to earn a point despite their numerical disadvantage, but Wilson delivered the decisive blow for Fulham in the closing stages, dealing another setback to the Blues' Champions League aspirations.

Chelsea Player Ratings (4-2-3-1)

*Player ratings courtesy of FotMob*

GK: Robert Sánchez—6.1: Had little to do in the opening period but could have done better to keep out Jiménez's header despite getting a touch on it.

RB: Malo Gusto—6.5: Found it challenging at times dealing with substitute Kevin's energy but generally handled the sustained Fulham attacks well.

CB: Trevoh Chalobah—6.2: Lost his aerial duel with Jiménez for the goal but showed commitment throughout, making several important defensive actions.

CB: Tosin Adarabioyo—6.2: Solid defensively and handled the hostile reception from his former supporters with composure on his return to Craven Cottage.

LB: Marc Cucurella—5.4: Despite his teammates' angry protests, Cucurella had little argument with his red card. His foul on Wilson as the last defender left referee Peter Bankes with no alternative.

DM: Andrey Santos—6.8: Nearly scored when the ball deflected off his shoulder onto the crossbar from a corner and fulfilled his defensive responsibilities well before being substituted after Cucurella's sending off.

DM: Moisés Caicedo—6.9: Faced a challenging task in midfield, having to cover additional ground due to the red card. Showed his usual tenacity in tackles when needed.

RW: Cole Palmer—6.0: Not at his most effective but improved in the attacking third after halftime following a quiet opening period.

AM: Enzo Fernández—6.7: Delivered dangerous corner kicks that troubled the Fulham defense in their penalty area. Less impactful in general play and was substituted with 25 minutes remaining.

LW: Pedro Neto—6.6: Provided pace on the break but couldn't capitalize on several promising counter-attacking opportunities. His corner delivery did lead to the equalizing goal.

ST: Liam Delap—7.9: Held up play well despite being isolated up front and found the net with a clinical finish. Could have scored twice, missing an earlier opportunity.

Unused substitutes: Filip Jörgensen (GK), Josh Acheampong, Wesley Fofana, Alejandro Garnacho, Estêvão, Jamie Gittens, João Pedro.

Fulham (3-4-2-1)

Starting XI: Bernd Leno; Issa Diop, Joachim Andersen, Jorge Cuenca; Timothy Castagne, Sander Berge, Tom Cairney, Antonee Robinson; Emile Smith Rowe, Harry Wilson; Raúl Jiménez.

Substitutes used: Kevin, Sasa Lukić, Ryan Sessegnon, Harrison Reed, Adama Traoré.

Player of the Match: Sander Berge (Fulham)

Chelsea Player of the Match: Liam Delap

Fulham 2–1 Chelsea: Match Report from Craven Cottage

Liam at Craven Cottage. 🤝💙#CFC | #FULCHE pic.twitter.com/d7qX94NMoy

Recent Chelsea discussions had centered on boardroom matters, but focus returned to football at Craven Cottage as the Blues aimed to halt their four-match winless sequence. Unfortunately, Cucurella's first-half dismissal created an uphill battle for the visitors.

After Santos hit the woodwork and Caicedo's follow-up was cleared off the line, Chelsea's disciplinary issues resurfaced minutes later. Cucurella brought down the dangerous Wilson as he broke clear on goal, earning an inevitable red card for preventing a clear scoring chance.

The Blues were perhaps fortunate the incident occurred just outside the penalty area, avoiding a spot-kick, though three Chelsea players received yellow cards for their heated protests afterward. This marked Chelsea's fifth Premier League red card this season, giving Fulham the momentum.

The hosts believed they had capitalized on their man advantage in first-half injury time when Wilson slotted home expertly, but VAR intervened to rule out the goal for offside, providing Chelsea with crucial relief.

Marc Cucurella is dismissed against Fulham for preventing a clear goalscoring chance 🟥 pic.twitter.com/lB3FMwSGCG

Chelsea retreated further after the restart, looking to absorb pressure and strike on the counter, but their defensive resolve cracked just ten minutes into the second half. Jiménez perfectly met Sander Berge's cross, directing his header past the goalkeeper to break the deadlock.

Delap should have equalized during a rare Chelsea attack just past the hour mark, working his way into a shooting position after Palmer's clever dummy, but Bernd Leno's outstretched save denied the striker's chipped attempt. However, he wouldn't waste his second chance.

Chelsea increased their attacking intensity in search of an equalizer, with Caicedo and Palmer both testing Leno, but Delap eventually found the net at the second attempt. The striker reacted fastest when Robinson's clearance hit the post from a corner, converting the rebound as his former manager Rosenior watched from the stands.

The celebrations were brief as Fulham regained their advantage with nine minutes remaining, Wilson finally getting his name on the scoresheet. The forward's deflected shot nestled in the bottom corner, sealing Chelsea's sixth league loss of the campaign.

Fulham vs. Chelsea Half Time Statistics

Fulham vs. Chelsea Full Time Statistics