Chelsea continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 2-0 win against West London rivals Fulham at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues were fortunate not to find themselves trailing by a goal after VAR overturned Josh King’s goal in the first half.
However, the controversy didn’t stop there as Chelsea fans berated Enzo Fernandez, despite the Argentine assisting the first goal and scoring the other; he was seen directing shouts at the supporters and the home bench following Joao Pedro’s opener.
Enzo Fernandez of Chelsea celebrates with fellow goalscorer Joao Pedro of Chelsea after scoring from the penalty spot during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Fulham at Stamford Bridge.
Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
And while the goal scorers will naturally steal the limelight following the result, one Chelsea player produced a dominant performance on Saturday, arguably outperforming all his teammates.
Trevoh Chalobah dominates Fulham at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea recalled Chalobah from Crystal Palace last season, and the defender has established himself as a first-team regular in West London.
TBR Football reported in May that Chalobah was on West Ham’s radar heading into the summer transfer window, but those links have since cooled down, given the recent injury troubles at centre-back.
The 26-year-old has seamlessly filled the void left by Levi Colwill after the defender sustained an ACL injury during pre-season preparations.
Trevoh Chalobah vs Fulham Total
Touches 81
Pass Accuracy 90%
Ground Duels won 90%
Aerial Duels won 60%
Successful Dribbles 1/1
Successful Crosses 1/1
Tackles 5
Interceptions 4
Statistics provided by Sofascore.
The Blues have conceded only one goal since the start of the new campaign, with Chalobah starting every match thus far.
Enzo Maresca will undoubtedly now consider the defender undroppable after the international break, despite Chelsea signing Jorrel Hato and with Wesley Fofana now back in the first team frame.
Chalobah is proving to be the leading man in the Blues’ defence, a remarkable turnaround for a player who was considered surplus to requirements in 2024.
Liam Delap injury puts a dampener on Chelsea’s win
Although Chelsea have started the Premier League campaign in near-perfect form, they have now been dealt another fresh injury setback.
Liam Delap sustained a hamstring injury at Stamford Bridge and is expected to be sidelined between six and eight weeks.
Cole Palmer was pulled out of the starting line-up for the win against West Ham United, and he was subsequently excluded from the matchday squad on Saturday.
The Blues have spent big money to bolster their attacking options this summer, with Alejandro Garnacho the latest recruit, but the continued injuries to first-team stars will be a growing cause of concern for Maresca.