Thursday Fulham Stuff - 08/01/26...

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Results

Wednesday 07/01

Bournemouth    3-2    Spurs Brentford    3-0    Sunderland Palace    0-0    Wolves Fulham    2-1    Chelsea Raúl Wilson Man City    1-1    Brighton Burnley    2-2    Man Utd Newcastle    4-3    Leeds

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Fulham 2-1 Chelsea

At a glance

    Chelsea's Marc Cucurella sent off after 22 minutes

    Raul Jimenez opens the scoring for the hosts, but Liam Delap equalises

    Harry Wilson's smart finish secures the win

    New Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior watches from the stands

New Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior watched from the stands as Harry Wilson's fine finish condemned his team to defeat by west London rivals Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Rosenior was not appointed in time to take charge but took a watching brief and may have feared the worst when Marc Cucurella was sent off early on.

Chelsea fell behind to Raul Jimenez's header after 55 minutes, but Liam Delap levelled from four yards when the ball bounced back to him off the left post from a corner, after Antonee Robinson almost headed into his own net.

With nine minutes remaining, Wilson beat Jorrel Hato with a smart touch just inside the penalty area before half-volleying the ball into the left corner beyond Robert Sanchez.

Under the direction of caretaker manager Calum McFarlane, Chelsea had been left with a mountain to climb from the 22nd minute when Cucurella pulled down Wilson and was red-carded for what was judged to be a professional foul.

It was Chelsea's eighth dismissal of the season, including one for former boss Enzo Maresca who was deemed to be over-celebrating in October after a last-minute winner against Liverpool.

There were signs of anger in the away end, with a 'BlueCo out' banner displayed and chants against the ownership as they watched on alongside their new appointment Rosenior.

Defeat means Chelsea fall to seventh place in the Premier League, below Brentford, while Fulham join them on 31 points from 21 games.

Fulham analysis: Where has Wilson been hiding?
It's remarkable to think that Welshman Wilson was struggling to get a game for Fulham at one stage but is now among the top-performing forwards in the Premier League.

The former Liverpool player was a thorn in Chelsea's side all match, peppering their goal with shots when the match was 11 v 11 before his clever run drew the foul from Cucurella that brought the red card and changed the complexion of the match.

Wilson looked to have scored through a firm, low shot just before half-time, but it was cruelly ruled out because Raul Jimenez mistimed his run in the build-up.

However, Wilson was the first Fulham player to threaten the goal after the break and eventually scored after a terrific touch and lethal strike with his right foot.

Wilson was serenaded by home supporters moments after doing an on-pitch interview, and it was easy to understand why.

Since the start of November, only Manchester City's superstar striker Erling Haaland (12) has had more Premier League goal involvements than Wilson (10 – six goals, four assists).

In that time, Fulham have gone from relegation danger to being contenders for European football again. They were just four points above the relegation zone on 7 December after a defeat by Crystal Palace, but that gap is now 17 points.

Chelsea analysis: Rosenior sees worrying picture
Appointed on Tuesday, Rosenior had no time to take a training session or lead the team into this match, so he had to be content to watch from the directors' box.

However, what he will have seen and indeed heard will surely worry him.

There were anti-ownership chants aimed towards those he was sitting next to, along with criticism of the sporting directors.

It had been all smiles before the match as Rosenior spoke to his new squad after training on Tuesday before then travelling with them to Craven Cottage, a familiar spot for the former Fulham defender. He then did a television interview before taking his seat for the game.

Cucurella's red card would have given him the realisation that Chelsea need guidance to avoid falling short of their goals this season.

Ill-discipline has been an obvious problem, and in the immediate aftermath of the red card there were yellows for dissent for Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez and Tosin Adarabioyo.

Five of Chelsea's red cards for players this season have come in the league, meaning they are one short of the most they have had in a single Premier League campaign - six in 2007-08 - and there are still 17 matches still to play.

What's next for both sides?
Fulham will host Middlesbrough at Craven Cottage in the FA Cup third round on Saturday (15:00 GMT). They then travel to Leeds for a Premier League match at Elland Road the following Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Chelsea, under new head coach Rosenior, will face Charlton Athletic at The Valley in the FA Cup on Saturday (20:00 GMT). They then host Arsenal at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final (20:00 GMT) next Wednesday before returning to Premier League action at home to Brentford on Saturday (15:00 GMT).



https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/live/cj3vm5nz161t

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Post-Chelsea Press Conference
Marco Silva dedicated Fulham's 2-1 win over Chelsea to the fans.

Momentum swung our way after Marc Cucurella was sent off midway through the first half, and we capitalised to secure a richly deserved win – our third over our closest neighbours under Silva.

"Of course, against 10 men, the game became different," he said. "Even if we did start well the game, the game was very balanced until that red card.

"We knew that the control was coming for ourselves, [but] at the same time, you can never switch off.

"I believe that second half, we did switch off sometimes, and because of that we gave some offensive transitions for them and dangerous moments from them – [Pedro] Neto carried the ball very well, or some moments with [Cole] Palmer.

"But I think at the end we deserved the three points. Second half, with the change [replacing Jorge Cuenca with Kevin] and we pushed more for the goals and we created some chances, and a great win, great win for us.

"It's a very good feeling for me to give these great games for our fans. Not being too humble, but for us they are three points, nothing more than that, for the football club.

"For the people that are more important than the football club, the fans, means much more than that, and that is the good thing for me.

"I celebrate with my players. We move on. I'm going to start to think that in three days I'm going to have another game against Boro, different competition, and we have to make the players be with all motivation again.

"Because if you play against Liverpool, or a derby against Palace, or a big derby against Chelsea, even with all the tiredness and fatigue there, you have to move, you have to go. The game is very tricky, the next one. That is what is on my mind right now.

"But I know there are reasons much more than that for the fans, they are going to enjoy the next few days, for sure, with their neighbours, with our biggest rivals, and that represents more really for them.

"I'm very proud that we can give them, again, a very good feeling. I know that the last 20 years, before we started this journey, was not something usual for them in terms of results against Chelsea.

"I know that on paper, everything is completely different off the pitch in terms of investment, size, whatever. They are the world champions.

"The reality is that, since we started this journey, we are giving year after year, good feelings for them in these type of games, and that is the most important thing for me."



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/january/07/post-chelsea-press-conference/

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Fulham Swoop For Midfielder Talk Wide Of Mark
Fulham are not interested in Real Betis midfielder Sergi Altimira and suggestions he is wanted at Craven Cottage are wide of the mark, according to journalist Sam Tabuteau.

The Cottagers have been on a good run of form of late, having won three and drawn two of their last five Premier League games.

Fulham's form has helped them look upwards in the Premier League standings and there are even whispers of a push to try and finish in a European spot.

Marco Silva wants reinforcements this month and have had a bid rejected by PSV Eindhoven for Ricardo Pepi, with a move for the American looking in doubt.

With the jury out on whether Fulham will be able to sign Pepi, a host of other players are being linked with moving to Craven Cottage.

It has been suggested that Fulham want to sign Real Betis midfielder Altimira this month.

The Spaniard has been on the books at Real Betis since 2023 and is able to operate as a defensive midfielder or a central midfielder.

Fulham though are not moving to try to snap up the 24-year-old midfielder this month.

They are currently not pursuing the Real Betis player and it remains to be seen whether there is a change of scenario in the coming days and weeks, while the window is open. 

Altimira has been with the Real Betis team since the summer of 2023 and has notched up 90 appearances for them, scoring five goals.

He featured for 23 minutes in Real Betis' 5-1 defeat at Real Madrid in La Liga earlier this month.

Fulham have four more fixtures to play before the transfer window closes and Silva will be keen for them to come out of the period stronger than they went in if they are to have a chance of pushing for Europe.



https://insidefutbol.com/2026/01/07/fulham-swoop-for-midfielder-talk-wide-of-mark/702678/

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Huge Fulham blow for Leeds United clash as ban confirmed during Chelsea game
Leeds United welcome Fulham to Elland Road on January 17.

Fulham manager Marco Silva will be forced to watch his side's game against Leeds United next weekend from the stands due to suspension.

Silva was shown a yellow card during the first-half of Fulham's Wednesday-evening London derby at home to Chelsea. The Fulham boss was incensed on the Craven Cottage touchline following a challenge on Harry Wilson.

ulham manager Marco Silva will be forced to watch his side's game against Leeds United next weekend from the stands due to suspension.

Silva was shown a yellow card during the first-half of Fulham's Wednesday-evening London derby at home to Chelsea. The Fulham boss was incensed on the Craven Cottage touchline following a challenge on Harry Wilson.

Fulham face Middlesbrough in the FA Cup third round this weekend but as per FA disciplinary rules, player suspensions as a result of accumulated yellow cards are competition specific, meaning they do not carry over between the Premier League and domestic cup competitions. The same is believed to be true of managers, meaning Silva should be in the dugout on Saturday.

The Portuguese boss is, however, expected to serve his one-game touchline ban when Fulham travel to Leeds on Saturday, January 17. Silva will be able to speak with his side in the changing room before kick-off and at half-time, but he will have no in-game input.

It is likely one of Silva's three assistants, Antonios Lemonakis, Gonçalo Pedro and Gonçalo Santos, will take charge of in-game matters at Elland Road. The Cottagers boss is allowed to communicate with his staff in the dugout but not directly with players on the pitch.



https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/leeds-united-fulham-marco-silva-banned-chelsea-5467094

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Keith Hackett worries for football after incorrect penalty decision in Chelsea defeat vs Fulham
Peter Bankes and the video assistant referee failed to award Fulham a penalty in their 2-1 win over Chelsea at Craven Cottage on Wednesday.

Like many of the Premier League's referees, Bankes has faced criticism this season, but he initially looked to get the decision right.

Marc Cucurella pulled back Harry Wilson by the arm when he was through on goal, with the referee immediately blowing up and producing a red card for the Spaniard.

Replays showed that the incident had continued into the penalty box, yet the Whites were forced to settle for a free kick.

Liam Rosenior has taken charge at Chelsea, and was in attendance on Wednesday to see the contentious moment.

Keith Hackett agrees with Mike Dean on penalty decision
The Premier League's immediate explanation for the decision to award a free kick rather than a penalty was that it had been deemed that "Cucurella committed a holding offence that did not continue into the penalty area."

Yet the evidence seemed to refute that explanation, with Wilson finally going down well inside the penalty box.

Former Premier League referee Mike Dean said that a penalty and a red card should have been awarded, and Keith Hackett exclusively told Football Insider that he agrees.

"Mike Dean is spot on with his conclusion on this one," the former PGMOL chief said. "Under Law 12 – Advantage, the final paragraph gives us the answer."

Law 12 – Advantage:

    If the referee plays the advantage for an offence for which a caution/sending-off would have been issued had play been stopped, this caution/sending-off must be issued when the ball is next out of play.
    However, if the offence was denying the opposing team an obvious goal-scoring opportunity the player is cautioned for unsporting behaviour; if the offence was interfering with or stopping a promising attack, the player is not cautioned.
    Advantage should not be applied in situations involving serious foul play, violent conduct or a second cautionable offence unless there is a clear opportunity to score a goal.
    The referee must send off the player when the ball is next out of play, but if the player plays the ball or challenges/interferes with an opponent, the referee will stop play, send off the player and restart with an indirect free kick, unless the player committed a more serious offence.
    If a defender starts holding an attacker outside the penalty area and continues holding inside the penalty area, the referee must award a penalty kick.

"I worry about the law knowledge of our officials," added Hackett. "This incident is covered in law and a penalty kick should be awarded.

"Well said Mike Dean, who should be coaching our referees along with Mark Halsey."

Double jeopardy not a consideration in this case
It may be wondered whether Bankes' decision to send off Cucurella would have remained in effect had a penalty been awarded.

The double jeopardy rule does not give a red card for the denial of a goal-scoring opportunity, if the foul has happened inside the box.

However, for that rule to take effect, the defender in question must have made a genuine attempt to play the ball.

In this case, Cucurella's only attempt to stop Wilson was by dragging his arms back. There is no attempt for the ball, and the red card would have stood even if a penalty had been awarded.



https://www.footballinsider247.com/keith-hackett-worries-for-football-after-incorrect-penalty-decision-in-chelsea-defeat-vs-fulham/

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Fulham 2-1 Chelsea
Fulham made it six Premier League games unbeaten with victory in the SW6 derby on Wednesday evening.

A highly eventful first half saw Chelsea full-back Marc Cucurella sent off for hauling down Harry Wilson when he was the last man, before Wilson had a goal chalked off in stoppage time by VAR.

The second period was just as chaotic, but this time in terms of goalmouth action. Raúl Jiménez headed us in front from a peach of a Sander Berge delivery, only for Liam Delap to equalise.

But Wilson continued his red hot form with a rare right footed finish nine minutes from time to earn a third win over our local rivals during Marco Silva's tenure.

There was just the one change to the XI that began the Liverpool draw three days earlier, with Berge coming in for Saša Lukić, while Ryan Sessegnon made a welcome return to the bench.

Fewer than 90 seconds had been played when Wilson first stung the palms of Robert Sanchez at the end of a fine team move that began with a thumping Berge challenge on Moises Caicedo.

It was Wilson again who had the next attempt after quarter of an hour when Emile Smith Rowe had won him possession high up, but unfortunately the same outcome as Sanchez claimed his bending effort from the edge of the box.

Chelsea came within inches of taking the lead four minutes later, though. First, Andrey Santos met a corner but somehow only found the crossbar from a yard out, before Berge was there to clear Caicedo's follow-up off the line.

After threatening from another corner but not capitalising, Chelsea's protests at the goal kick awarded – led by Tosin Adarabioyo – gave Fulham an opportunity to act fast with the away defence out of position, with Leno's long delivery playing in Wilson. Cucurella was with him all the way but couldn't cope with the pace, resorting to hauling him down in the area and duly receiving his marching orders. VAR, however, believed that he had stopped fouling Wilson by the time they were in the box, and so a free-kick was given.

Fulham controlled the first half after that but it was the Blues who next registered a shot on target. Leno was more than equal to Cole Palmer's effort.

Smith Rowe's strike a minute later was much more dangerous, zipping agonisingly over Sanchez's crossbar from 20 yards out.

We had the ball in the net in stoppage time with a precise Wilson finish after he'd been found by Berge, but VAR ruled it out for an offside by Raúl in the build-up. He was off, but by seemingly less than 5cm, so a surprising outcome considering Liverpool's goal was allowed to stand at the weekend...

In an attempt to make best use of the man advantage, Silva went more aggressive at the break, ditching the three at the back by introducing Kevin for Jorge Cuenca, who was on a booking.

After Pedro Neto fired wildly over, Wilson was next to have a go, with his piledriver changing direction courtesy of a huge Trevoh Chalobah deflection, spinning a yard wide of the far post with Sanchez scrambling. Issa Diop nodded off target from the subsequent corner.

We made the pressure tell 10 minutes into the second half, with a patiently worked goal. Berge had been immense all night, and he added an assist to his performance with a pearler of a cross to pick out the run of Raúl, who buried it low and hard with a bullet header into the corner.

Many in the ground thought Kevin had made it two soon after, but his rocket had rippled the wrong side of the netting.

Chelsea still had their threats, and things looked hairy when they managed to split the lines to send Delap clean through, but Leno made a wonderful sprawling save to deny him.

That was the first of three saves he was forced into in the space of a few minutes, with Caicedo and Palmer also kept out.

It was the most pressure Chelsea had exerted all night, and they eventually made it count when Delap tapped in after Antonee Robinson had flicked the ball onto his own post at a corner.

Fulham pulled the momentum back in our favour after that, with a couple of blocked Wilson efforts and a spectacular attempt from Kevin that was caught by Sanchez.

That gave the home fans a boost, and they were on their feet again when Wilson restored the lead, squeezing a shot into the corner with his right foot, following a stunning first touch to beat his man. The chance coming after Sanchez had beaten a powerful Smith Rowe drive back into danger.

That knocked the stuffing out of 10-man Chelsea and they failed to generate another opening against a thoroughly organised Fulham outfit, who held out to claim some thoroughly deserved local bragging rights.
Fulham FC: Leno, Diop, Andersen, Cuenca (Kevin 45'), Castagne, Berge, Cairney (Lukić 73'), Robinson (Sessegnon 73'), Wilson (Traoré 91'), Smith Rowe (Reed 83'), Jiménez

Subs: Reed, Traoré, Kusi-Asare, Lukić, Kevin, Lecomte, Sessegnon, Amissah, Ridgeon

Chelsea: Sánchez, Gusto (Acheampong 76'), Chalobah, Tosin, Cucurella, Andrey Santos (Hato 28'), Caicedo, Palmer (João Pedro 75'), Fernández (James 65'), Pedro Neto, Delap

Subs: Gittens, Jörgensen, João Pedro, Hato, James, Fofana, Acheampong, Estêvão, Garnacho



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/january/07/fulham-2-1-chelsea/

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Wilson's cracking goal gives Fulham derby victory over 10-man Chelsea
Harry Wilson's glorious late strike earned Fulham victory as 10-man Chelsea's lamentable disciplinary record continued in an ill-tempered west London derby at Craven Cottage.

Marc Cucurella's return after injury lasted just 22 minutes before he was dismissed for bundling over the excellent Wilson and denying the in-form striker a clear goalscoring opportunity.

The home side took advantage and Chelsea, who were on top before Cucurella's exit, were fortunate that Wilson's strike in first-half injury-time was wiped out for offside after a VAR check.

Raul Jimenez beautifully placed second-half header to put Fulham ahead – the Mexican's third goal in five games.

And although the Blues fought back impressively and deservedly levelled through Liam Delap's first Premier League goal for Chelsea, Wilson's sublime first touch and instant strike secured maximum points.

The visitors had controlled the early exchanges and hit the bar through Andrey Santos from one of several dangerous corners, but the dynamics changed when Fulham keeper Bernd Leno's punt forward caught out Cucurella, who was sent off for hauling down Wilson as he was about to go through on goal.

The red card was Chelsea's eighth already this season – a worrying statistic for incoming head coach Liam Rosenior, who was watching from the stands before taking over from caretaker boss Calum McFarlane for Saturday's FA Cup tie away against Charlton.

Former Fulham full-back Rosenior will have been impressed by Chelsea's start, but Fulham then bossed possession in an increasingly spiky game, but created very little until late in the first half.

Emile Smith Rowe smashed a shot narrowly over the bar from 20 yards and the outstanding Wilson then had a sweet strike disallowed for a marginal offside call on Jiminez in the build-up.

Jimenez made amends soon after the interval, netting with a brilliant header from an inviting Sander Berge cross and substitute Kevin almost made it 2-0 with a fizzing effort.

Chelsea responded, however, with substitute Reece James helping them gain control in midfield.

Cole Palmer and Pedro Neto were at the heart of most of their attacks, with the latter blazing a shot well off target after a swift counter-attack, Moises Caicedo went close and Delap was denied at close range by Leno's excellent save.

Delap's close-range effort, after Antonee Robinson's header came back off the post as he tried to clear a corner, looked like securing a point.

But Fulham, who have now won four of their past six games, came again late on and, soon after Robert keeper Sanchez made a brave block from Jimenez, Wilson's stunning touch and first-time hit earned a memorable victory for the Whites.
Fulham: Leno, Castagne, Diop, Andersen, Cuenca (Kevin 46), Robinson (Sessegnin 73), Berge, Cairney (Lukic 73), Smith-Rowe (Reed 83), Wilson (Traore 90+1), Jimenez.
Subs: Lecomte, Amissah, Ridgeon, Kusi-Asare.

Chelsea: Sanchez; Gusto (Acheampong, 76) Cucurella, Chalobah, Adarabioyo; Caicedo, Santos (Hato, 28), Fernandez (James, 65); Palmer (Pedro, 76), Neto; Delap.
Subs not used: Jorgensen, Fofana, Gittens, Garnacho, Estevao.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/chelsea/wilsons-goal-gives-fulham-derby-victory-over-10-man-chelsea

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Fulham 2-1 Chelsea: Blues pay for Marc Cucurella red card as Liam Rosenior watches derby defeat
Harry Wilson strikes late winner after Blues suffer yet more disciplinary problems in front of new boss

Incoming head coach Liam Rosenior watched from the stands as 10-man Chelsea lost 2-1 to rivals Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Raul Jimenez and Harry Wilson were the Fulham scorers either side of an equaliser in the second half from Liam Delap, but the story once again was Chelsea's inability to keep 11 players on the pitch, Marc Cucurella dismissed midway through the first half for denying Wilson a goalscoring chance.

Former Blues boss Enzo Maresca took to Instagram on Tuesday to boast of his Chelsea legacy but chief amongst the artefacts he bestows to his successor is a chronic discipline problem.

This was the seventh red card the team had received this season and the third time in the league they had gone down to 10 in the first half. Equally concerning for Rosenior - who starts work officially on Thursday morning - will have been the sight of three Chelsea players talking themselves into a booking over their protests.

It had up to then been an even match. Wilson, fresh from his goal against Liverpool on Sunday, found space for a couple of early shots hit straight at Robert Sanchez. Chelsea were then inches from a goal when Enzo Fernandez's corner bounced off Andrey Santos and against the bar.

After 20 minutes, Rosenior witnessed first-hand his new team's propensity to implode. Cucurella appeared to have the edge on Wilson as the pair chased a ball over the top, but clever manoeuvring from the Fulham midfielder gave him an edge that Cucurella could only counter with a pull on the arm that sent Wilson tumbling.

Chelsea could argue that Tosin Adarabioyo was coming round on the cover, but the decision was a red card.

Emile Smith Rowe nearly made Fulham's advantage count with a wonderful turn and strike from 25 yards that whistled a fraction over, then Wilson found the net with fine low strike before VAR cut short his celebrations with a marginal offside call.

Jorrel Hato, sent on to shore up the defence after Cucurella had gone, glanced a header over at a corner, Chelsea's first moment of threat since the red card.

They were behind seconds later. Jimenez kept himself onside and peeled off the shoulder of Trevoh Chalobah to nod Sander Berge's cross from the right down into the bottom corner.

Chelsea by now looked stricken with nerves. A man down and a goal behind, home fans goaded their every touch. Kevin had them on their feet with a bullet drive from range that rippled Sanchez's net on the wrong side.

Teaching these players to dig in in adversity will be high on Rosenior's list of priorities and, having dug themselves into a hole, they gave their new boss reason for optimism. Bernd Leno spread himself well to keep out Delap, who scrapped and charged around gallantly despite being isolated for long periods.

For his endeavours, he more than anyone in blue deserved a goal and he got it 18 minutes from time. Antonee Robinson headed a corner against his own bar and there waiting was Delap to whack in his first league goal.

It would be a brief reprieve. Wilson deceived Hato with a lovely feint before striking Fulham's winner.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-vs-chelsea-fc-result-b1265440.html

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PL Clubs 'Keeping An Eye' On Star Interesting Fulham And Sunderland
Fulham face competition for Sunderland linked Gabriel Sara, as two Premier League clubs are 'keeping an eye' on the Brazilian.

The Black Cats have had a brilliant first half of the season following their return to the big stage of the Premier League.

Sunderland signed a host of new players in the summer window following their Championship playoff victory, and they were an instant success under Regis Le Bris.

They have been looking to add more quality to their engine room and were linked with Lazio's Matteo Guendouzi, who is closing in on a move to Fenerbahce.

Le Bris' side, though, are alive for other targets as well, as Galatasaray midfield general Sara is a player they have been widely linked with this month.

The former Norwich City man has no shortage of suitors in this January window, as fellow Premier League club Fulham are also chasing him.

The former Norwich City man has no shortage of suitors in this January window, as fellow Premier League club Fulham are also chasing him.

And now, according to Brazilian journalist Felipe Silva, two unnamed Premier League clubs are 'keeping an eye' on the Brazilian midfield star.

It has been suggested that Fulham have made an enquiry about the Brazilian, but are yet to launch an official bid for him.

Galatasaray signed him in the summer of 2024 from Championship outfit Norwich City and they paid around £15.3m for the midfielder.

He has four goals and 12 assists in 70 appearances for the Turkish giants to his name.

Last summer, Premier League outfit West Ham were keen on the 26-year-old, but he stayed put at Galatasaray.

Sara's contract runs until the summer of 2029 at Galatasaray, and they are unlikely to let him go for anything less than a very good fee.

Whether Fulham will make a move for him in the upcoming days and weeks remains to be seen, while it is also unclear who the other two Premier League sides are and whether one of them is Sunderland.



https://insidefutbol.com/2026/01/07/pl-clubs-keeping-an-eye-on-star-interesting-fulham-and-sunderland/702695/

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Fulham 2-1 Chelsea: Cottagers dominate 10-men Blues
Chelsea have picked up just three points from their last five games, whilst Fulham extend their unbeaten streak in style.

Marco Silva's Fulham moved level on points with Chelsea following a 2-1 win at home.

The Blues begun with confidence, but a straight red card shown to defender Marc Cucurella threw a spanner in the works.

Fulham pressed the advantage, and had a goal ruled out for offside in the first half, before opening the scoring early in the second through Raul Jimenez.

Chelsea picked themselves up in the latter stages and found an equaliser through Liam Delap, but it proved fruitless as Harry Wilson added a second for the hosts with less than ten minutes on the clock.

It's a bitter end for interim coach Calum McFarlane, as well as a tricky situation for Liam Rosenior, who will take over permanently from Thursday.

His first test at the helm will be against Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup this weekend - whilst Fulham also face Championship opposition in the cup in Middlesborough.

    Story of the Match

Fulham welcomed the Blues to Craven Cottage after a fiery 2-2 draw against reigning champions Liverpool. Harrison Reed was an unlikely goalscorer as he levelled things up deep in injury time - with a strong contender for goal of the season.

Marco Silva's side were unbeaten in their last five matches, but faced a Chelsea side that had emerged victorious from seven of their last ten meetings.

The two sides met earlier in the season - with former Blues head coach Enzo Maresca producing a 2-0 victory.

His successor Liam Rosenior would watch over this game: not from the dugout, but from the stands.

In a pre-match interview, he spoke highly of his new squad and their mentality surrounding a tumultuous period at the club - and had plenty of praise for interim coach Calum McFarlane, who oversaw his second and final match in charge before returning to his duties with the Under-21s.

The opening lacked many dangerous shots on target - Harry Wilson, who has been clinical for the Cottagers as of late, pounced on a first time shot in the Chelsea box, but Robert Sánchez was quick to react.

The Blues maintained possession and were intense in the press, committing several bodies forward, but lacked creativity and progressive passes to Liam Delap up front.

Cole Palmer had been starved of goal contributions, and was being kept under control by the left back Antonee Robinson, whilst Pedro Neto struggled to make an impact on the game on the opposite flank.

The home side had found early luck from open play, but Chelsea were threatening from set pieces, with two early corners nearly sneaking into the back of the net. The second was the closest - defender Tosin nearly found a breakthrough with a follow-up strike after Enzo Fernandez's initial delivery rattled off the crossbar.

Things soon came crashing down, however, as defender Marc Cucurella was shown a straight red for denying a goal scoring opportunity. Bernd Leno found Harry Wilson with a long pass following a corner, and the midfielder was dragged down just outside the box.

Tosin, Fernandez and Palmer were all booked for dissent in the aftermath, which highlighted the continued discipline issues of this young squad. Jorrel Hato was introduced in order to restore some defensive solidity, with Andrey Santos the unfortunate player to make way.

Fulham took full advantage of the chaos and volleyed several decent efforts at Chelsea's goal. They opted for more long balls and quick forward passes in an attempt to break past a vulnerable Blues defence.

They had also found lots of space in their opponents penalty box, and were carving out chances for their target man Raul Jimenez. Emile Smith Rowe had time to send in a cross from the left flank, but there was too much power on the delivery and it missed the mark.

Harry Wilson had been a constant menace in Fulham's attack, and had the ball in the back of the net just before half-time - but a VAR check caught Jimenez offside in the build-up. It was a fantastic passing move regardless by the hosts, and a massive wake-up call for the visitors, who had looked lifeless and disjointed since the red card.

There was a change of shape for Fulham in the second half as Marco Silva swapped defender for midfielder - Kevin brought on for the already booked Jorge Cuenca.

Chelsea struggled to get out of the blocks, and begun as they had ended the first 45 minutes. Jorrel Hato found space for a header from another dangerous corner, but the angle was a difficult one and it sailed over the bar.

At the other end, Fulham finally broke the deadlock through Raul Jiminez, who glanced a header into the bottom left corner following a brilliant delivery by Sander Berge.

Soon afterwards, substitute Kevin was given licence to drive towards the Chelsea box and released a powerful right-footed shot, which grazed the side netting.

Liam Delap had been positive in the striker spot - he featured up front in the reverse of this fixture earlier in the season, before picking up a hamstring injury which saw him sidelined for several months.

Having worked with Rosenior previously at Fulham, he will have been wanting to make an impression, and nearly got his side back on level terms after timing his run in behind.

With twenty minutes to go, he had his goal - his first in the Premier League - after pouncing on a rebound from a Pedro Neto corner. The Blues had begun to apply pressure at the other end and their hard work proved fruitful as they levelled the scores.

Chelsea surely had belief in a winning goal, and rang the changes, with Joao Pedro and Josh Acheampong both brought into the game, as well as Reece James.

Fulham continued to probe and looked to find Jimenez once again - the Mexican international arrived at the far post from a cross but could not find a way through a scrambling Sanchez, who made himself big to deflect the effort.

The home side kept up the pressure and eventually found their second goal through Harry Wilson, who flicked the ball away from Jorrel Hato and produced a brilliant strike which flew through the legs of Reece James and past the reaches of Sanchez.

It left very little time for the Blues to level things up once again, and capped off a frustrating evening for the visitors - who had failed to create many clear-cut chances.

With the advantage, Fulham were able to make their final few substitutes and see out the win, extending their unbeaten run to five games in the league.

    Player of the Match - Harry Wilson

Fulham's in-form midfielder was the standout star of the show, scoring his side's winning goal in fantastic fashion.

Wilson may have well scored in the first half after being released one on one following a corner - a move which resulted in a sending-off for Marc Cucurella, who dragged him to the ground just outside the penalty box.

It was a reflection of his quality during the game: always threatening just outside the danger area, using his awareness of the game to find space and create dangerous opportunities.



https://www.vavel.com/en/football/2026/01/07/premier-league/1246539-fulham-2-1-chelsea-cottagers-dominate-10-men-blues.html

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Fulham 2-1 Chelsea: Highlights, man of the match, stats as Harry Wilson takes advantage of Marc Cucurella's red card
Fulham beat Chelsea 2-1 at Craven Cottage in the Premier League, but the game was influenced by Marc Cucurella's early red card.

The first talking point of the game came shortly after the 20-minute mark, when Cucurella receives a straight red card for the denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity by dragging down Harry Wilson.

Wilson was then involved in another key incident, with the winger marginally offside when he struck the back of the net at the end of the first half.

However, Fulham broke the deadlock when Raul Jimenez headed low into the right corner 10 minutes after the break, though Liam Delap equalised for the Blues following chaos from a corner with less than 20 minutes remaining.

Though it looked like Chelsea would take a point, Wilson struck from just inside the box with his weaker foot afer Robert Sanchez had parried the ball away from an earlier cross, finding the bottom-left corner nine minutes from time.

The result leaves Fulham in eighth place with 31 points, while Chelsea also end the night in seventh with 31 points, above the Cottagers due to goal difference.

SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
Calum McFarlane's final game in charge of the club was not quite as enjoyable as his first against Manchester City, though he can hardly be blamed for his left-back's red card.

The Blues still stand a strong chance of finishing in the top four considering rivals Liverpool and Manchester Unted have been inconsistent, while it is hard to imagine other teams like Brentford sustaining their place in the European spots.

Liam Rosenior will inherit a talented squad, and there is no doubt enough quality at his disposal to secure Champions League football.

Marco Silva's hosts have unexpectedly found themselves in the race for Europe, with the club just three points behind fourth-placed Liverpool.

Fulham might not boast the talent of the likes of Chelsea, but they are coached excellently, and perhaps Silva will be able to make history at Craven Cottage.




https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/top-four-race/result/derby-day-drama-wilson-wins-cottagers-three-points-as-cucurella-is-sent-off_589391.html

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Fulham 2-1 Chelsea: New boss Liam Rosenior watches bratty Blues pick up seventh red card of the season as indiscipline costs them yet again
Welcome to Chelsea, Liam Rosenior, and here, just for you, a special preview from the Brat Pack you must now try to turn into something resembling a sensible side.

It was in the 22nd minute when Rosenior, watching from Craven Cottage's swish seats next to co-owner Behdad Eghbali, witnessed Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno launch the ball long, Harry Wilson sprint on to it, and, clear as day, Marc Cucurella drag him down as the last man.

Cucurella represented Chelsea's seventh red card of the season in all competitions – each one shown to a different player – and it would be eight if we included former head coach, Enzo Maresca. The next nearest Premier League team is Tottenham Hotspur with three.

Now, Cucurella was rash, but this is football, defenders make daft decisions out of desperation. Really, what happened next should worry Rosenior as much, if not more.

Three Chelsea players – yes, three – were booked for protesting Cucurella's dismissal.

Enzo Fernandez was the first one to indulge in bratty behaviour. He was wearing the captain's armband but our referee, Peter Bankes, clearly believed he took his bleating too far. Then followed Tosin Adarabioyo, and finally Cole Palmer, completing the dissent hat-trick in a matter of seconds.

What made those cautions stranger was that Chelsea's complaints carried no merit. Cucurella denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity. He had to go, and he did, but his team-mates did not need to join him in Bankes' book.

'We don't want that to happen,' said caretaker Calum McFarlane, the Chelsea Under-21s head coach who was also cautioned himself towards the end of this loss for complaining. 'I would argue they showed discipline to not get another yellow card in a tough game with 10 men, so you can look at it either way.'

That was a desperate attempt at finding a positive if ever there was one.

Cucurella's dismissal was annoying for Chelsea because, up until then, they had been the better team. Rosenior did not have any say on tactical matters here. He left this trip to McFarlane, filling in for one last outing before going back to managing the Under-21s.

In contrast to life under Maresca, neither Chelsea full-back was inverting into midfield. Malo Gusto and Cucurella were playing much more traditionally. Gusto in particular was flying down his flank to overlap Palmer, who was being used on the right wing here.

But once they had gone down to 10 men, Fulham seized the initiative, taking the lead in the 55th minute. Trevoh Chalobah was supposed to be marking Raul Jimenez but Chelsea's centre back lost his man as he headed home for 1-0.

Rosenior will have been buoyed by the response, at least. They may have been a man shy, and the away end was singing a new song aimed at their ownership on repeat which went: 'We don't care about Clearlake, they don't care us, all we care about is Chelsea FC.'

But Rosenior's new side did not stop. In the 72nd minute, Pedro Neto took a corner, Fulham's Antonee Robinson flicked it on accidentally, the ball struck the woodwork, and Liam Delap tapped in the rebound. They were level for less than 10 minutes, however.

Fulham retook the lead through Wilson. Since the start of November, only Erling Haaland has more Premier League goal involvements than him. A fine finish this was, too, into the corner and beyond the reach of Robert Sanchez.

There was an awkward moment at McFarlane's post-match press conference when he asked us if we could tell him how his Under-21s got on. They were playing Benfica. 'I would love to know the score,' he said. Unfortunately for McFarlane, his youngsters also lost – 6-2 at home.

Whoever they are owned by, there are no guarantees for head coaches at Chelsea. Maresca departed after winning two trophies in his previous season, and he is in good company in that regard. Jose Mourinho was sacked – twice – after picking up two pieces of silverware the campaign before. As was Carlo Ancelotti, and Roberto Di Matteo. No pressure, then, Rosenior.

If the 41-year-old Englishman is to take Chelsea to the next level, then he could do with his players limiting their pitiful foolishness on the pitch. Not for the first time, it cost them here.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-15441429/Fulham-2-1-Chelsea-Liam-Rosenior-red-card-Premier-League-report.html

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Fulham's Harry Wilson piles pain on 10-man Chelsea as Liam Rosenior watches on
Few things in life can be more awkward than sitting next to your new boss while 3,000 malcontents bellow abuse at him. On the bright side, at least this was a crash course in the modern Chelsea for Liam Rosenior.

The new head coach saw poor defending undermine flashes of defiance, witnessed his erratic side collect their eighth red card of the season and heard the away end at Craven Cottage spend much of the second half aim mutinous chants in the direction of Behdad Eghbali, the club's co-controlling owner.

This was such an unserious effort from Chelsea. Calum McFarlane, the under-21s coach, was in charge. It was hard not to feel that Rosenior had made his first misstep. He has had a dizzying few days since leaving Strasbourg but it is worth thinking back to Thomas Tuchel taking over from Frank Lampard five years ago. Tuchel came up with a new system on his journey to London, had one training session before his first game and led Chelsea to Champions League glory four months later.

Different times. Rosenior preferred to watch from the directors' box and at least had a good view of the shambles unfold. Chelsea were down to 10 men after Marc Cucurella brought down Harry Wilson when the Fulham winger was through on goal. The red mist descended, three players picking up bookings for dissent, and there was no containing the discontent from the travelling fans after Raúl Jiménez put Fulham ahead early in the second half.

Supporters are not convinced by the project overseen by Eghbali and his fellow investors. Tension has grown since Enzo Maresca's messy departure and it will not be easy for Rosenior to mend the damage. It begins for him with a trip to Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup on Saturday but the 41-year-old inherits a wounded team. Chelsea are down in eighth place after one win from their past nine league games and even find themselves level on points with Fulham, who made light of a lengthy list of absentees by earning a precious win thanks to a moment of impudence from Wilson in the 81st minute.

Fulham were more streetwise. They have gambled on players who have been written off by other clubs. They are proof that experience matters. Jiménez, 34, has three goals in his past five games and is testament to Marco Silva's ability to keep pushing this experienced group.

This is a chance for Fulham. They are three points off the top four, although they will need to invest this month if they want to mount a push for European football. "It is nine years since my first game in this country," Silva said. "I don't remember many seasons like this, where the league is so tight. That shows the demands."

There is no hiding place at this level. Taking charge for the second and final time, McFarlane stuck to club policy and rotated heavily. Chelsea started well and should have led when Andrey Santos headed a corner against the bar.

Santos did not make it to half‑time. The midfielder had to make way for Jorrel Hato after Cucurella's dismissal. It came when Chelsea failed to reset after a corner. Bernd Leno, the Fulham goalkeeper, hit the ball long and Wilson sped through on goal before tangling Cucurella, whose foul on the edge of the area was a clear denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity.

McFarlane denied that the incident was evidence of a discipline problem. He will head back to the under-21s. They also played but it was uncomfortable when McFarlane asked for their result: it finished 6-2 to Benfica in the Premier League International Cup.

Rosenior needs to give Chelsea direction. They escaped when Wilson had a goal disallowed for offside but they trailed in the 55th minute. Fulham had shifted from a back five, Kevin replacing Jorge Cuenca at half‑time, and they were ahead when Sander Berge crossed for Jiménez to head past Robert Sánchez after escaping Trevoh Chalobah.

There was a response from Chelsea, who levelled when Antonee Robinson headed Pedro Neto's corner against his own bar and Liam Delap converted the rebound. Yet it did not quell the mutiny. The chants towards Eghbali were constant and there was a banner calling for BlueCo, the consortium that owns Strasbourg and Chelsea, to sell up.

It meant Eghbali was pumped when Delap scored. Fulham were undeterred. Silva regained the initiative with positive substitutions and the game was settled when Wilson danced round Hato before squeezing in his seventh goal of the season.



https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/fulham-harry-wilson-piles-pain-215214417.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACe1SKMWrP1EzRackgOVUxCkGIhPWERK9oUB21ANPOX46DEjT6umUpKL26oekXskTzW5ERZdWL6jUN7gR7CYNATslJMvJGnnQ93pWvrsmVAVSkyXpxn1XyfthZbJn0Kmp5LMTslrgEWP_wcDJgG1ngD8hyQPqTQ1Zusp5GNJBeHW

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Vote Harry for PFA Premier League Player of the Month!
Harry Wilson has been nominated for the PFA Premier League Fans' Player of the Month Award for December.

A stunning month saw our Welsh wizard register six goal involvements (2G, 4A) in just five matches. One of those, his wonderstrike against Crystal Palace, will surely be a contender for Premier League Goal of the Season.

Also nominated are Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds), Hugo Ekitike (Liverpool), Phil Foden (Man City), Erling Haaland (Man City), and Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), and you can show you support for Harry at the below link.

Vote for harry

https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/january/07/vote-harry-for-pfa-premier-league-fans-player-of-the-month/

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Jimenez and Wilson down 10-man Chelsea at the Cottage
Fulham win 2-1 after Cucurella sent off in the first half

Don't rub your eyes - Fulham have beaten Chelsea to go six games unbeaten in the Premier League! A risible red card for Marc Cucurella gave Fulham the upper hand, but two excellent goals from Raul Jimenez and Harry Wilson let us claim an excellent 2-1 victory at the Cottage tonight. Liam Rosenior will have to pick up the pieces of a Chelsea side desperate for form and cool heads - his new side were outclassed by us tonight, in a game that demonstrated what team spirit and application can do in tight affairs like tonight's.

First Half
It was a slow start at the Cottage. Chelsea, with Rosenior waiting in the stands, played a tame game in the opening minutes, getting on the ball but struggling to use their attacking talents to make anything truly special. Fulham, once again in the 5-2-3, had the structural integrity but yielded territory to Chelsea, and found themselves studiously warding the opponent, moving smartly to deny space for shots in the box and using Robinson and Castagne to take the ball back into Fulham territory. It was a decent approach, and produced the first direct shots of the game; a good crossfield ball let Castagne feed Wilson in the box, forcing Sanchez to catch, and the Chelsea keeper caught another effort from the Welshman that Smith Rowe supplied nicely on the turn.

The visitors have the bigger names though, and logic would assume they'd be able to produce more from the limited opportunities presented. The pace of Neto worked the space behind Castagne and forced Diop to intervene, producing a steady supply of corners; it was here that Chelsea came closest, World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez aiming for the goal and rigorously hitting the target. It required astute intervention on a number of occasions, as players swarmed around the six-yard box. Leno, swamped by bodies, had to punch one corner off the line. Another, aimed at the far side of the goal, bounced off Andrey Santos' shoulder and onto the crossbar, before a rebound shot from Caicedo was narrowly blocked from the goal by Cuenca. A slick period of play that saw Andersen deflect an Enzo volley wide produced two more, both uncomfortably close to the goal.

But Leno was strong, keeping the goal clear of danger, and Chelsea's advanced team presented an opportunity. With Wilson hovering around the halfway line, the German booted the ball over everyone, bouncing into the path of the Welshman, onside and only with Cucurella to beat. He had the better of the left-back, ready to storm into the box as the ball awkwardly bounced off Cucurella. Yet the Spaniard had latched onto Wilson's arm, and yanked him down as he travelled into the area. It was an easy decision for Peter Bankes, and a swift red card was produced.

Not so swift was dealing with the aftermath, as the protestations of the Chelsea contingent rumbled long beyond the initial card. Yellows for Enzo, Tosin and Palmer, and one for Marco on the touchline, irked by the lack of a penalty call, increased the time it took before we could take the free kick - even in 2026, it's staggering seeing professional footballers petulantly rack up the bookings harassing a referee over a crystal-clear decision. It's perhaps a little generous to blame Wilson smacking the set-piece into Caicedo on this, and definitely too much to do the same for Jimenez's rebound hitting Andrey Santos.

Santos' block caused him discomfort, and gave McFarlane an easy choice in working out who to sacrifice to reinforce the defence - left-back Hato arrived from the bench to repair Cucurella's damage. It signalled that the game was going to be dominated, at least on the ball, by Fulham, and allowed us to move into their half with confidence. With the three centre-backs on the halfway line, we had numerous passing options around the pitch, and pinned Chelsea into their final third, moving the ball around nicely. Berge was excellent here, intercepting Chelsea's breaks and connecting play really well by advancing beyond his traditional deeper positioning.

It was a game of patience - we played well, using our play down the left to build attacks, but we didn't quite have the attacking pieces on to make the most of our opportunities. Some loose passes from Robinson and Cairney in attacking areas allowed Chelsea to stave off the worst of our attacks and counter. One such incident let Delap dispossess Andersen to do just that, taking it forward and combining with Enzo to give it to Palmer, but the shot was tame and stopped easily by Leno. Of course, each attack for Chelsea moved their depleted numbers forward, and invited Fulham to respond. We did just that, and Jimenez found Smith Rowe intelligently in a pocket of space, producing a shot that narrowly fizzed over.

We had our breakthrough in stoppage time - after a long spell of possession, Cuenca passed the ball to Jimenez, Raul's delightful backheel set up Berge, the Norwegian found Wilson ready to burst into a space in the backline and upon receiving the ball our in-form forward drilled his shot beyond Sanchez, opening the scoreline. Alas, Jimenez had tracked back from an offside position - presumably his foot was more than five centimetres behind the line. 0-0 it remained.

Second Half
The impetus was ours to make the difference in the second half. Certainly Silva needed no invitation to do so, taking off Cuenca - booked for hauling down Palmer just before the break - for Kevin. This returned the team to a back four, moving Smith Rowe to the centre and made it clear to Chelsea that we'd be the side on the front foot. Evidently the change made a difference - Robinson and Kevin immediately activated their combinations down the left, targeting Gusto and pumping balls into the box. It was a firestorm for Tosin and Chalobah, having to repel waves of dangerous deliveries from our left wing. Such actions created space elsewhere - Cairney found Wilson hovering in the centre, producing a sharp shot that deflected off Chalobah and rippled just wide of the goal.

Such pressure can cause any side to buckle, not least a young Chelsea side missing a key defender. After a long period of Fulham on sitting on the ball, Smith Rowe and Cairney worked the ball on the right, laying it off to Berge with breathing room. He curled a splendid ball over the defence towards the box, where Raul Jimenez waited; the Mexican, ahead of Chalobah, leapt above the centre-back, heading the ball towards the goal. Sanchez's dive couldn't stop the ball sneaking beside the post - our gunslinger had fired again.

We should have capitalised from here, advantaged a reeling, outnumbered opponent. The signs were good, too - right after the opener, Kevin, taking Jimenez's interception in midfield forward, charged at the backline and blasted a shot just wide of the goal. With Chelsea trying to advance out of their own half sharp passes were bypassing Caicedo in midfield and placing pressure on the centre-back pairing - a long ball over the top from Andersen almost reached Wilson, and needed a tough intervention from Hato to halt. But, as is often the case, Fulham took their foot off the pedal, and gave the visitors a chance to regroup. Enzo Fernandez, a passenger in the second half, was withdrawn for Reece James - it gave Chelsea extra dynamism in midfield, a creative player well-versed in defensive duties to fit the tentative situation the visitors found themselves in.

From errant counter-attacks to sustained pressure - Chelsea started to claw themselves back into the game. Neto had been a source of discomfort along our right, and a Tosin pass dummied smartly by Palmer had given Delap a breakaway ahead of the defence that Leno stuck his arm up firmly to parry, but these were sparse opportunities. James put Chelsea on the ball in a more sustained way, alleviating some of the forward momentum we'd generated and putting the questions back onto Fulham's defence. Silva had taken a defender out, putting more pressure on players like Castagne and Cairney, not quite our strongest defensive options, to withstand Chelsea's attackers. With Andersen having a slightly flimsier game as well, Chelsea started to sniff a chance.

Gusto, moving forward from defence, combined with Neto to bypass the midfield and produce a shooting chance for Caicedo in the centre - it was struck well, but stopped concretely by Leno. Palmer took on Robinson on our left, manoeuvring around him to get into the box - he hugged the sideline and drilled a cross into the box, forcing Leno to divert it out for a corner. Suddenly we were returned to the first half, desperately trying to clear corners from the box. Enzo wasn't on any more, but Neto proved just as diligent, and the goalmouth scrambles were unnerving our players again. A couple of clearances from Jimenez dealt with the first corners, but the pressure remained, and Chelsea worked the ball back into Neto running along the right side, winning a third corner from Diop. The Portuguese swung the ball tightly along the line, Robinson's attempted defensive header lifted it further into the box, the ball flew towards the goal and over Castagne before striking the post and falling kindly for Delap, who could only help himself to a first league goal for Chelsea.

It was an ugly moment for Fulham - we'd blown our lead, allowed 10-man Chelsea back into the game and had it all to do to restore the advantage. But Silva's squad had a healthier disposition to it today - the return of Sessegnon, along with Lukic, presented a massive boost of energy for the left side, and gave Kevin a new partner to work with. These were crucial changes, too - Chelsea had introduced Acheampong and Joao Pedro, players just as lively for the visitors and capable of guiding them to the points. Fulham took the ball and started making moves quickly, putting all the play in Chelsea's final third and quickly funnelling the ball to our rapid left flank to unwork Chelsea again.

Though the goal didn't come from the Kevin-Sess approach, the pressure generated was clearly crumbling Chelsea's position. Acheampong had fresh legs but too much to do in stopping Kevin and the rejuvenated Sessegnon, who was tireless in his bursts down the left flank, perfectly reading the attacking situations to overlap and hold back his runs. It produced a flurry of tight moments for Sanchez' box, requiring the centre-backs and Caicedo to make blocks and tackles in the box against Jimenez and a looming Wilson. The closest produced a bout of header-tennis, leading to Jimenez knocking the ball off the post with Sanchez narrowly able to divert the ball away - Chelsea were hanging onto parity by a thread.

Once again, our patience proved crucial. Fulham strung a multi-pass sequence together, pulling Chelsea bodies around the pitch in their attempt to scuttle our move. Wilson played a beautiful pass through Neto and Hato on the right to Smith Rowe, sneaking into the box. The midfielder fired a cross into the box, which Sanchez punched away from his box - but Wilson, refuisng to give up on the chance, had arched a run back into the box ready to collect the loose ball. He took a touch away from Hato and rifled a low shot through the crowded area, moving it away from Sanchez and into the back of the net. The crowd were enraptured, Silva was jubilant on the touchline, and Wilson wheeled away in delight - we'd restored our lead.

It wasn't over yet, of course. Reed entered right after the goal for Smith Rowe, perhaps hoping to shore up the lead rather than score another screamer for the team, and Traore swapped for Wilson a little later. It was crucial, too - with Chelsea defenders pouring forward in their attempts to save the game, James had the bodies to try and pull the strings together and put Chelsea in a commanding position. Neto, fizzing down the right, forced a few more corners, and a few hearts in Fulham mouths, but the lessons had at last been learnt, and some strong defensive work kept Chelsea from putting another shot in from the set piece. And, as Traore took the ball from our half to the corner flag, the realisation of what we'd done began to set in. Full time - 2-1 - a fantastic win over Chelsea.

Flying up the table
It's two games against the "big 6" in a row, and in both games we've held ourselves to a high standard and taken a strong points haul. 4 points, regardless of the state Liverpool and Chelsea find themselves in this season. I've said it before, but you have to praise Marco Silva's management of the club here - we've always been good on the ball under him, and the guidance through his time in the Premier League with us has boosted the confidence we have to regularly play solid football in the big matches. This is now our third win over Chelsea under Marco - it was one in 39 before that, spanning almost half a century.

Wilson is the starring man again, with a fine goal - his ingenuity continues to win us points in spectacular ways, and we urgently need to get his contract sorted before he's poached from us. Not far behind him in the scoring tallies is Jimenez, with a header that would satisfy forwards from any era - it shouldn't be underestimated how crucial his goals are proving in the season, with yet another brilliant finish to push us ahead of an opponent. Smith Rowe wasn't as involved today - the consequence of being forced wider in a front three - but once he was back in the centre he was pinging passes around nicely, and had a contributive role to both goals.

Behind them, Cairney looked a little tired - we forget that, after a decade of quality service for the club, he's run a lot of miles for us, and the Premier League is a tough division to maintain this in. Still, he played an important part for us tonight, and helped consolidate possession for Fulham for large stretches of the game. Berge was the stronger performer in the middle though, and had one of his best evenings in a Fulham shirt - ruthless in the tackle, relentlessly pushing the team forward, and his vision produced a splendid assist for Jimenez' goal. The wingbacks were a mixed-bag - strangely, the defensive duties of Robinson and Castagne were stronger than at the back, as both did a good job keeping Palmer and Neto on their toes across the match, but the crossing wasn't as accurate as it ought to have been and they needed to offer a little more precision from their deliveries.

Defensively, there's positives and negatives aplenty. Cuenca was excellent on and off the ball, and but for a needless booking against Palmer might have remained on the pitch and kept a clean sheet. Diop, once again, stepped up to the challenge of playing in the team - in both a back five and a back four - and did his duties diligently. There should also be special praise for Castagne - he has his wobbles, but he applied himself superbly and was really involved in the defensive effort tonight. However, Andersen was the one wobbling tonight - he was skittish in more than a few moments, outfoxed by Palmer and outmuscled by Delap, and needed to be a stronger figure at the back. And as a team, Fulham needed more composure from the set-pieces; the abundance of corners swung perilously close to the goal basically gifted Chelsea an easy route to success, and has already cost us points across the season.

However, the substitutes were excellent tonight, and ensured it did not cost us in the long run. Kevin was a livewire, causing havoc for Gusto and Acheampong - the first goal is surely on its way! When Sessegnon arrived Chelsea's right flank was blown to pieces, demonstrating what we can offer when we have a fully-fit squad at our disposal. Lukic helped get us back on the ball, keeping Chelsea out at a point they might have gone on to steal the game entirely from us in - with Cairney's legs tiring, and Iwobi still at AFCON, he will be vital in the upcoming matches. Reed and Traore, whatever people say about them, work hard for the team - they made defensive interventions and ball carries that ate time out of the game and saw us through to the victory. It bodes well for the rest of the campaign.

Challenges for Rosenior
Our neighbours are in far less healthy a place, and are actually only ahead of us by goal difference now! Hyperbole, of course, to suggest we are now on the level of a Champions League team, but it does suggest things are not quite so rosy at Stamford Bridge. Their win over us earlier in the season relied on some fortuitous refereeing, and despite Fulham having another goal chalked off for them today they couldn't manage to keep us away from the victory.

Part of their problem is their temperament - the players are extremely talented, but young, impulsive and volatile. Cucurella's foul was staggeringly unprofessional for a left-back of his calibre, the furore after the goal would have seen some referees dismiss further players (my mind stretches back to Mitrovic's red card at Old Trafford in the FA Cup, or a more recent Paqueta dismissal for West Ham) and beyond this petulance from Caicedo seems to undermine his obvious world class talents from being realised for his team. Is it any wonder Maresca couldn't deliver a consistent quality of football before he got sacked?

There's a few other issues too. Sanchez is a flimsy goalkeeper with poor distribution and doesn't command his defence. Said defence are lightweight - Tosin, as we remember from our time at Fulham, needs a cool head alongside him to keep him in check, which Chalobah doesn't fit. Both let Jimenez, hardly an unstoppable physical force, have the time in the box to piece Fulham moves together. It's harsh to single out the midfielders and forwards given the dismissal, but they aren't the most fluid either - Enzo as a 10 is curious, and feels unwieldy given the other options the club have, and whilst Delap struck his goal and did good work with his muscle, his quality as a forward is questionable, and the chances he missed feel indicative of the work he still needs to do.

However, the club are packed with talent, and are a threat for any side to try and face - as Manchester City found out last week! There was plenty from Neto, Palmer, Enzo and James across the game - they're a top side, and Fulham should be immensely proud of their win tonight. We're in touching distance of the European places, which felt a pipe-dream a few months ago - it's hard to believe the mood was so despondent that relegation was being fretted about! Given the injuries, absences and lack of transfer activity, Marco and the team have done an incredible job - let's hope that the good vibes continue in the cup this weekend, where hopefully the squad can be rotated a little for Middlesbrough.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/p/jimenez-and-wilson-down-10-man-chelsea

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Marco Silva says 'magic' Harry Wilson is in best form of his career
Fulham manager Marco Silva praised "magic" Harry Wilson after his goal earned a 2-1 win over 10-man Chelsea at Craven Cottage, as incoming Blues boss Liam Rosenior watched from the stands.

Wilson has been Fulham's man in form this season and, fresh from scoring his sixth of the campaign against Liverpool on Sunday, he struck the winner here, feinting his way past defender Jorrel Hato before finishing into the corner.

It was the 28-year-old, who also had a goal ruled out by VAR for a marginal offside in the first half, who was hauled down in the 21st minute by Marc Cucurella, the Chelsea defender red-carded for denying a goalscoring chance.

"He's been incredible," said Silva. "Right now everything he touches becomes something magic, something that will have an impact. You just have to try to take the best from him.

"It's the best moment of his career definitely. He's enjoying and he's worked very hard. His numbers are top, incredible. Very humble, a hard worker always."

One of Rosenior's first tasks when he starts work officially on Thursday morning will be how to address his new team's disciplinary issues.

This was the seventh red card they had received this season and the third time in the league they had gone down to 10 in the first half, though equally concerning for Rosenior will have been the sight of three Chelsea players talking themselves into a booking over their protests.

Interim boss Calum McFarlane, who now returns to his job with the under-21 side, rejected suggestions the team is struggling with discipline.

"Any red card affected the game massively," he said. "We were just getting into our rhythm in that moment, starting to have a feel for what the solutions were. It came at a really bad time for us."

Cucurella appeared to have the edge on Wilson as the pair chased a ball over the top but clever manoeuvring from the Fulham midfielder gave him an edge that Cucurella could only counter with a pull on the arm that sent Wilson tumbling.

"There's been a lot made of the red cards," said McFarlane. "This wasn't ill-discipline, this happens in football. You get caught one v one. Marc is one of the best defenders in the world. He would defend that situation nine times out of 10. Harry Wilson was clever and showed quality. He got caught from a football standpoint.

"Three yellow cards directly after is something we'll have to look at. We don't want that to happen."

Rosenior met the players yesterday at Chelsea's training centre and travelled to the stadium on the team bus but did not have an input into the game.

"Liam came in yesterday probably an hour before training," said McFarlane. "He spoke to the players about how excited he is to be at the club, his values and what his objectives are.

"He came in so late, we'd already done the prep so he left it to us. Other than encouraging words, he gave us free rein to pick the team and decide the tactics. He's been really respectful and trusting to let us get on with the job."



https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/marco-silva-says-magic-harry-230533914.html

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Silva hopes hero Wilson signs new Fulham deal
Marco Silva says Fulham must do everything they can to renew Harry Wilson's contract.

The Welshman scored a superb winner as Silva's side beat Chelsea 2-1 in the west London derby at Craven Cottage.

Wilson has been in fantastic form but is in the final months of his contract and has yet to agree a new deal.

Fulham rejected an offer from Leeds during the summer transfer window and Whites boss Silva insisted there is no prospect of Wilson leaving now the window has reopened.

"If you go back to my first press conference after the summer window, you asked me about the Leeds offer. I told you straightaway I didn't think one second about that," said Silva.

"For me it was not even a case. He's our player and he's so important for us. I know that it's the last year of his contract. I don't care about if he's in the last year that we can take some (transfer fee) or nothing from him.

"We should try to sign more years with him. His season has been incredible and I'm very pleased for him because he deserves it.

"Of course the club should try to do what they can do to renew the contract with him."

Wilson has two goals and an assist in his past four appearances for Fulham, whose win put them level on points with Chelsea.

"He's been incredible. Right now everything he touches becomes something magic," Silva declared.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/silva-hopes-hero-wilson-signs-new-fulham-deal