Alonso's Chelsea win 3-2 at Fulham despite Sanchez errors

Xabi Alonso began his tenure as Chelsea manager with a chaotic 3-2 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday, August 23, 2026. The win was secured by goals from Joao Pedro, Morgan Rogers, and Cole Palmer, but the performance was marred by defensive errors, particularly from goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. The match started perfectly for the visitors when Joao Pedro scored after just 31 seconds. Cole Palmer played a deft flick to send the Brazilian through, and he calmly dinked the ball over Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno. The early goal set the tone for a dominant attacking display from Chelsea's new front three.