Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs
With the first game week now over, some Premier League sides got off to a better start than others. Playing on Monday night, Chelsea saw rivals like Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Liverpool all drop points over the weekend.
Xabi Alonso's men then travelled to West London foes Fulham to kick off their campaign. The Blues started in impressive fashion, too, taking the lead through Joao Pedro inside the first minute.
Also making his managerial debut in England, Alvaro Arbeloa saw his team respond well to the early setback, with Josh King firing home to level the scores in the 23rd minute. Chelsea retook the lead just before the break, however, with Morgan Rogers scoring his first goal for his new club.
In the second half, it looked as though Cole Palmer's clever finish had sealed the game, but another debutant, Gonzalo Garcia, scored just five minutes later, making for a nervy finish. In the end, the Blues hung on to their lead and came away with all three points.
Chelsea Avoid Red Card Punishment vs Fulham
REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
Chelsea will feel they were good value for their win, but there was one controversial moment which could have changed the complexion of the match. After just five minutes, Levi Colwill saw Oscar Bobb pounce on a loose touch and run through toward goal.
The English defender – who struggled on the night – quickly brought down his opponent before the Fulham ace could advance any further with the ball. Had he not been fouled, Bobb would have been able to run through on goal with a teammate in support, albeit he was starting from a wide position.
Some felt that it was DOGSO (Denial of an Obvious Goalscoring Opportunity). Many Fulham players and certainly the home crowd called for a red card, but referee John Brooks opted to wave a yellow card instead.
Amid the controversy, former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has offered his official verdict on the matter, insisting that the officials got the decision correct. Taking to social media, he explained that the presence of a covering defender was enough to dismiss any DOGSO claims:
"The covering defender influences my agreement [with the officials] - no red card, correct decision."
Enzo Fernandez
Enzo Fernandez
Hackett Explains Why DOGSO Was Not Fulfilled
Hackett later went into more detail when discussing the incident with Football Insider. He doubled down on his position that a yellow card was the correct punishment for Colwill, explaining:
"The referee judged this incident accurately. Yes, it was a foul, but when reviewing the incident, Denial of a Goalscoring Opportunity is not fulfilled.
"The following must be considered: Distance between the offence and the goal, general direction of play, likelihood of keeping the ball or gaining control, location and number of defenders and attackers.
"In my opinion, the criteria is not fulfilled because of the covering defender, and there's some doubt on the probability of gaining control of the ball."
Fulham will now take on Wimbledon in the League Cup before travelling to Sunderland in the Premier League, while Chelsea host Luton in the cup and then meet Brighton at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea Premier League Fixtures