Chelsea striker Liam Delap will be desperate for his first goal of the new season this weekend against Fulham.
The Blues host neighbours Fulham on Saturday afternoon in the Premier League, which is their final game before September’s international break.
Liam Delap, who arrived at Stamford Bridge from Ipswich Town in the summer, has had an interesting start to his Chelsea career.
Even though the 22-year-old striker impressed at the Club World Cup, his spot in the starting XI isn’t guaranteed. He came off the bench in the league opener against Palace before starting and playing just over an hour in last week’s victory against West Ham.
At the moment, Delap is probably the understudy to Joao Pedro in the No.9 position, but the latter’s versatility to play multiple attacking positions frees up room if he plays deeper.
Cole Palmer could miss Saturday’s match against Fulham because of an injury that isn’t as bad as first thought. If that happens, we would predict Pedro operating in the No.10 role, with Delap leading the line again.
Liam Delap lines up ahead of Ipswich Town vs Newcastle United
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What Marco Silva said about Liam Delap last season
Marco Silva, the Fulham head coach, will be familiar with Chelsea’s squad of players because of his several years in the Premier League. How his team deals with the threat of Delap if he starts could be fascinating.
Back in January 2025, Silva delivered a glowing verdict on Delap ahead of a match between Fulham and Ipswich, claiming that the English centre-forward adapted superbly well to the top division.
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Speaking via Fulham’s official website last season, Silva said: “Omari Hutchinson and Liam Delap are both top players. I know that they are different, playing in different positions, but they have been doing so well.
“Delap was on loan at Hull last season, but he has adapted so quickly to the quality and demands of this league. They are difficult players to control, they work hard both on and off the ball and have the right mentality to be strong in all parts of the game.”
Delap scored twice for Ipswich against Fulham last season, once at home and once away, so Silva’s side know they could be in for a tough test against the now-Chelsea player.
Even though the young attacker was playing in a poor Ipswich side last season, who were ultimately relegated from the Premier League, he stood out for all the right reasons. Like Silva mentioned, he adjusted to the pace and intensity of the top division effortlessly.
Delap scored 12 league goals in a relegated Ipswich side, so we would be optimistic he can better that record at Chelsea.
Fulham manager Marco Silva before the Premier League match against Crystal Palace.
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Liam Delap desperately needs a goal against Fulham
Delap won’t want to go into the first international break of the season waiting for his first Premier League goal as a Chelsea player, so this Fulham fixture feels pretty huge for him.
Opponent Minutes played Goals Assists Total shots Chances created Match rating
West Ham 62 0 0 1 0 6.7
Crystal Palace 18 0 0 1 0 6.0
Liam Delap’s record for Chelsea in the Premier League via FOTMOB
Delap impressed against Fulham in last week’s game, holding the ball up superbly well and showing some tidy touches. However, any new striker at any new club is going to feel pressure until they score a few goals to truly settle.
The early signs are that he’s quite a complete forward who’s just a little raw around the edges, but he’ll only get better and better with more time.