Chelsea v Fulham LIVE: Result and reaction as Cole Palmer penalty enough for Blues to triumph
Chelsea 1-0 Fulham: Cole Palmer’s penalty just before the break was enough for the Blues to edge to victory
Chelsea made it three Premier League wins in a row for the first time since October 2022 as Cole Palmer’s penalty guided them to a 1-0 victory over Fulham at Stamford Bridge.
The winning goal came in stoppage time at the end of the first half, the top scorer for Mauricio Pochettino’s side notching his ninth goal of the season after Raheem Sterling was tripped in the box.
However, the move had been started by a moment of Palmer genius, spotting a gap and threading a superb ball through the middle that drew defender Issa Diop into a clumsy foul.
Marco Silva’s visitors never truly looked beaten until the final whistle sounded. Chelsea, though, defended doggedly in the final moments to breathe genuine momentum into their season.
Relive the game below:
Cole Palmer saves Chelsea again but Mauricio Pochettino needs so much more
A single moment to lift the game but also, perhaps going against some of the noise, keep Chelsea‘s run going.
This nervy 1-0 win over Fulham ensured Mauricio Pochettino enjoyed three league wins in a row for the first time as manager of the club. It was still badly-needed relief after the midweek Carabao Cup defeat to Middlesbrough, and all the more crucial given they now face three games that could set the entire season. There’s the return in the Carabao Cup, the FA Cup fourth-round clash against Aston Villa and then another difficult Premier League game away to Liverpool. They needed this.
They also, very evidently, need Cole Palmer. In a first half where nobody could seem to play a pass that wasn’t flat and everyone looked unable to do anything that might hurt the opposition, the playmaker saw a fraction of space in the box and slipped through the most insightful ball. It is what Chelsea have been badly lacking, beyond this game.
Read Miguel Delaney’s full report from Stamford Bridge:
Cole Palmer saves Chelsea again but Mauricio Pochettino needs so much more
Chelsea 1-0 Fulham: Palmer’s penalty just before the break was enough for the Blues to edge to victory but only papered over the cracks
Raheem Sterling reacts to Chelsea’s win
Raheem Sterling chats to the TNT Sports crew about the victory and Cole Palmer’s influence
Men in green blazers overshadow Chelsea’s west London derby with film promotion
Chelsea’s match against Fulham might have been billed as a west London derby, but the first half was largely dominated by a lack of quality on the pitch and a bizarre performance from the sidelines.
Mauricio Pochettino had already mentioned the film Argylle, which is being produced by one of Blues owner Todd Boehly’s companies, in his pre-match press conference but few could have predicted what would take place behind the Chelsea manager on the touchline.
Argylle is due to be released in February 2024 and has Henry Cavill and Dua Lipa among an impressive cast list for the spy thriller.
At seemingly random intervals, a group of men in dark green velvet jackets stood up and on one occasion held up books, at another seemed to be brushing their teeth, and at a further time were pointing at imaginary wristwatches.
Men in green blazers overshadow Chelsea’s west London derby with film promotion
Chelsea’s west London derby became the setting for promoting the film Argylle
FULL-TIME! Chelsea 1-0 Fulham
And that’s it! Chelsea hang on to win 1-0.
Chelsea 1-0 Fulham
90+5 mins: It’s a good ball in and Fulham attackers take a couple of swipes at it but so many blue shirts are in there throwing themselves in front of the ball! Fernandez with a key block.
Chelsea eventually thump clear.
Chelsea 1-0 Fulham
90+4 mins: A long throw from Fulham into the box to try and snatch an equaliser but it’s scrambled clear. The Cottagers then win a free-kick out on the right and will have a last chance to pump it into the box.
Chelsea 1-0 Fulham
90 mins: Into five minutes of injury time and Chelsea hanging on to this lead. Gallagher sees a shot blocked trying to finish it off.
A couple of final subs for Chelsea as Gilchrist and Chukwuemeka on for Palmer and Gusto.
POST! Chelsea 1-0 Fulham
84 mins: So close for Chelsea! Gallagher is inches away from finishing the game as a contest. He strikes the ball with the outside of his boot but it thuds against the foot of the post
Just before that, Fulham make two subs as Rodrigo Muniz and Sasa Lukic come on for Andreas Pereira and Joao Palhinha
Chelsea 1-0 Fulham
79 mins: A dangerous-looking break for Fulham, so Thiago Silva hacks down Jimenez on halfway. He gets a yellow card but he knew exactly what he was doing.
Palmer then also yellow-carded as he kicks the ball away to stop the quick free-kick.
Chelsea 1-0 Fulham
76 mins: A clattering foul about 25-30 yards out committed by Chelsea and Disasi kicks the ball away in the aftermath, getting a yellow card for his troubles. Pereira’s free-kick flies well over though.
But here’s some great news for Chelsea! Ben Chilwell makes his injury return, coming on for the final 15 minutes in place of Raheem Sterling. He immediately takes the captain’s armband. A job for him to do to help see out this win.
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