The third round of Premier League fixtures brings yet another London derby as Chelsea host Fulham at Stamford Bridge.
Both sides remain unbeaten, though in very different fashion, and local bragging rights will be up for grabs.
Chelsea – Early Promise Under Maresca
After a flat opening-day draw against Crystal Palace, the Blues burst into life last weekend with a resounding 5-1 victory at West Ham.
Manager Enzo Maresca will be encouraged by how quickly his side clicked, with new additions already making their mark.
Teenage sensation Estêvão grabbed headlines by becoming the youngest player in Chelsea’s history to provide a Premier League assist, underlining the new wave of talent being integrated.
With just one defeat across their last 11 league outings (W7, D3), Chelsea’s momentum is building, and they’ll be determined to carry that into another home fixture where they’ve often looked strong.
Fulham – Draw Specialists With Resilience
Fulham make the short trip across town buoyed by an unbeaten start.
After successive 1-1 draws against Brighton and Manchester United, Marco Silva’s men have shown admirable resilience, coming from behind in both matches.
That knack for recovering deficits is no coincidence, since the start of last season, no side has rescued more points from losing positions in the Premier League than the Cottagers (23).
They’ll also take confidence from last season’s shock 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge in this exact fixture, proving they can upset their illustrious neighbours.
Head-to-Head Record
History favours Chelsea, who have lost just 3 of their 36 Premier League meetings with Fulham (W22, D11).
That 8.3% defeat rate is the lowest percentage one team has against another in the competition, given at least 20 matches played.
Form & Stats
Chelsea have kept six clean sheets in their last eight home league games.
The Blues have lost only once in their last 25 Premier League home matches when starting as favourites (W18, D6).
Fulham have won four of their last eight away London derbies in the league, equalling the number of wins they managed in their previous 68 such games combined.
The Cottagers have scored in 17 of their last 19 away league fixtures.
Players to Watch
João Pedro (Chelsea): Four goals in his first four starts for the Blues, plus a goal and an assist across last season’s H2Hs.
Rodrigo Muniz (Fulham): Particularly effective on the road, with six goals in his last ten away league matches. He also scored the decisive late winner in this fixture last season.
Team News
Chelsea: Cole Palmer is a fitness concern after being forced off against West Ham, while several long-term absentees remain sidelined.
Fulham: Marco Silva has close to a full squad available, with Antonee Robinson back in contention after a substitute appearance against United.
Potential Lineups:
Chelsea: 4-2-3-1 – Sanchez; James, Tosin, Chalobah, Cucurella; Enzo, Caicedo; Estevao, Joao Pedro, Neto; Delap.
Fulham: 4-2-3-1 – Leno; Tete, Anderson, Bassey, Castagne; Lukic, Berge; Sessegnon, Smith Rowe, Iwobi; Jimenez.
Where to Watch:
United Kingdom: TNT Sports
United States: NBC
Canada: Fubo
India: JioHotstar
Australia: Stan Sport
Nigeria: SuperSports
Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Fulham
Conclusion
Chelsea look sharp under Maresca and are formidable at home, but Fulham’s resilience and knack for late goals makes them a dangerous opponent.
Expect a tight affair with the hosts edging it.