Fulham v Chelsea: Premier League – live

This was a crash course for Xabi Alonso in life at Chelsea. His new side thrilled in possession at Craven Cottage. The front three of João Pedro, Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers combined to devastating effect and there was even an assist for the new £52m centre-back, Maxence Lacroix.

At times the only issue was the two No 10s both laying claim to the ice cold celebration. Palmer had a point to prove after missing out on England's World Cup squad and Rogers scored on his debut after his £117m move from Aston Villa. Yet victory in Alonso's first competitive game as Chelsea's manager was far from straightforward. He saw that he needs a better goalkeeper than Robert Sánchez and will worry about his side's lack of smarts. Fulham, who will hope this bright start under Alvaro Arbeloa shows there is life after Marco Silva, were unfortunate not to rescue a point.

Xabi Alonso starts his spell as Chelsea manager with an entertaining victory at Craven Cottage. Both teams played some exhilarating attacking football, with Cole Palmer the star of the show. He was a joy to watch, particularly in the first hour. Palmer played a big part in the first two goals, scored by Joao Pedro and Morgan Rogers, before adding an insouciant and ultimately decisive third.

90+3 min Garcia wildebeests a shot from the edge of the D that is blocked.

90+1 min Four minutes of added time.

90 min: Disallowed goal Joao Pedro rattles the ball into the net after Cuenca's shot is blocked, but Cuenca was offside inthe first instance.

89 min Timothy Castagne is booked for a foul.

88 min There's a frantic pace to the game as Fulham push for an equaliser. Chelsea have lost their way in attack.

84 min Sessegnon, playing at left-back now, lifts the ball neatly over Acheampong and batters a shot from a tight angle that is pushed behind by Sanchez.

If there is to be a sixth goal, Fulham look by far the likelier scorers.

83 min: Chelsea substitutions Geovany Quenda and Estevao replace Morgan Rogers and a life-affirming genius called Cole Palmer.

82 min: Fulham substitution Rodrigo Muniz for Antonee Robinson.

82 min Palmer does an excellent job defensively to track Kevin's run and draw a foul on the edge of the Chelsea area.

80 min Palmer is limping, though it appears to be cramp rather than anything more serious.

78 min: Robinson misses a great chance to equalise! He made a fabulous run onto a long ball forward from Cuenca (I think), but lobbed well wide with Sanchez in no man's land.

76 min Bassey is booked for a dive on the edge of the Chelsea area.

76 min: Chelsea substitution Pedro Neto on, Malo Gusto off.

75 min James is booked for a tactical foul on King. He then wags his finger in King's face, not sure why.

73 min: Double substitution for Fulham Cesar Palacios is replaced by Kevin, all puffed up as per. And Ryan Sessegnon has come on for Sander Berge.

73 min Robinson plays a sharp pass infield to King, who skips past Lacroix on the edge of the area and drives just wide of the near post. Fine effort.

71 min A bit of a quiet period in the game. Well, apart from the incessant and probably disproportionate booing on Enzo Fernandez.

67 min: Fulham substitution Shea Charles, signed from Southampton in the summer, replaces Oscar Bobb.

65 min: Chelsea substitutions Enzo Fernandez is booed onto the field – by the Fulham fans – as he replaces Romeo Lavia. Pep Chavarria comes on for Jorrel Hato.

Lavia was excellent, with the exception of one 1970s tackle on Calvin Bassey.

64 min Strange game, this, in that Chelsea have been quite brilliant at times yet they are still nowhere near safe.

63 min Joao Pedro endangers low-flying aircraft with a shot from distance.

61 min Oscar Bobb slaloms dangerously into the Chelsea area but is eventually crowded out. He's had a promising game on the right wing, and there's plenty to like about Fulham in attack.

59 min Hato (I think) is penalised for a farting around at a throw-in. The referee gives it to Fulham instead.

57 min “Ready to see your next West End show?†writes Broadway World. “Of course you are! Let BroadwayWorld and Ticketmaster be your guide to which plays and musicals are the most buzz-worthy this week. Check out the shows we recommend that you should snag tickets to this week!â€

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Cuenca's driven pass into the area was collected by Castagne, whose crisp low shot was saved by the diving Sanchez. He pushed it out rather than away, however, and Garcia reacted smartly to get his noggin on the loose ball. It flew into the ground and bounced slowly over Sanchez.

Gonzalo Garcia scores on his debut to give Fulham hope!

52 min Chelsea are almost in again. Hato gets the wrong side of the Fulham defence and tries to find Rogers with a square ball that is crucially cut out.

51 min Joao Pedro has been really, really good. Cole Palmer has been off the charts. When you consider everything he's been through, this performance almost brings a lump to the throat.

Joao Pedro protected the ball on the left side of the area, waiting for Palmer to make a run on the outside. Eventually Joao Pedro reversed a perfectly weighted pass that allowed Palmer to slide a first-time shot through Leno's legs. A brilliantly worked goal from two players who suffered the crushing disappointment of missing out on the World Cup.

Cole Palmer caps a performance of spine-tingling brilliance!

48 min The majestic Palmer slaloms past two players, then beats Robinson a second time before shaping a shot wide of the far post. He thought it got a deflection off Cuenca; the referee disagreed.

46 min Fulham get the second half under way.

Half-time reading

A brilliant first half at Craven Cottage. It could easily be 3-3, but the actual scoreline is 2-1 to Chelsea. Joao Pedro gave them the lead after 30 seconds, Josh King equalised after a mistake from Robert Sanchez and Morgan Rogers restored Chelsea's lead on his debut. Oh, and Cole Palmer was a joy from start to finish.

45 min Two minutes of added time.

44 min Palmer curls just wide from the edge of the area. To say he is on one would be quite the understatement.

42 min Cole Palmer has been utterly brilliant. The goal stemmed from him beating a defender through sleight of shoulder, then finding Lacroix in the area.

Maxence Lacroix had a mosey upfield in open play, and why not. He received a good pass from Palmer on the right side of the area, twisted past a defender and pulled an inviting ball across the face of goal. Rogers swept it into the net with abundant glee.

Morgan Rogers scores on his Chelsea debut.

40 min “Tigana was ‘ok'!†sniffs Richard Hirst. “Under him Fulham played the best football I've seen in my 65 years of following them. His team played in the way he had played – no gap.â€

39 min Bassey hits a long-range shot that catches James right in the walloper. James somehow stays on his feet, although he does stagger around for a bit.

37 min “Josh King – a new name to me, I admit, I suspect he's been around for a while,†says Charles Antaki. “Now I have him down as one of those footballers with a name which teasingly resists full spoonerisation: Kosh Jing sounds like it might work, but of course it doesn't. See also the likes of Declan Rice, Luke Shaw and Harry Kane. Matty Cash remains the only true candidate, I think. And as for Crysensio Summerville, forget it.â€

Don't make me bring Rob Smyth into the conversation again.

36 min: Good save by Leno! A Chelsea corner ricochets off a couple of players and breaks to Lavia, whose close-range shot is crucially blocked by Leno.

35 min Colwill, on a yellow card, sends King flying with an arm across the collarbone. Nothing is given but he took a risk there.

33 min Rogers zips inside and has a shot blocked. The ball rolls across the edge of the area to James, who blooters a first-timer straight at Leno.

33 min “Remember Jean Tigana managed Fulham?†sniffs Niall Mullen. “He was ok, I think he got them promoted. But it got me thinking what is the biggest gap between how good a fella was as a player and how rubbish he was as a manager in the Premier League. Without much thinking my vote goes to Frank de Boer at Crystal Palace.â€

It was only nine years ago mate. Too soon.