Chelsea Secures 2-0 Victory Over Fulham: Enzo Fernandez Shines in Dominant Display

Chelsea cruised to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Fulham at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, fueled by an outstanding performance from Enzo Fernandez. The win marks the Blues' second consecutive Premier League triumph, signaling a positive shift under the new management. Fernandez not only found the net himself but also played a pivotal role in setting up Joao Pedro for the opening goal, solidifying his status as a key player in the Chelsea squad.

Joao Pedro, fresh off his impressive showing against West Ham, continued his goal-scoring form by heading home a perfectly delivered corner from Fernandez in the dying moments of the first half. The goal, coming nine minutes into stoppage time, provided Chelsea with a crucial lead going into the break. The extended added time was a result of a controversial VAR decision that overturned what would have been Josh King’s first goal for Fulham. The video assistant referee spotted a foul by Rodrigo Muniz on Trevoh Chalobah in the build-up to King’s disallowed goal, much to the frustration of the Fulham supporters.

The second half saw Chelsea extend their lead through a penalty converted by Fernandez in the 56th minute. The spot-kick was awarded after another VAR review determined that Ryan Sessegnon had handled Chalobah’s attempted cross inside the penalty area. Fulham players protested vehemently, arguing that Joao Pedro had also used his arm in the moments leading up to the handball, but their appeals were waved away by referee Robert Jones. The decision further compounded Fulham's woes as they struggled to find a foothold in the game.

In the latter stages of the match, both Joao Pedro and Estevao came close to adding a third goal for Chelsea, showcasing the team's attacking intent. Fulham, however, did not go down without a fight. Sander Berge nearly pulled a goal back for the visitors, but his effort was bravely cleared off the line by Joao Pedro, who proved to be just as valuable in defense as he was in attack. The clearance ensured that Chelsea maintained their clean sheet and secured all three points.

With this victory, Chelsea moved to the top of the Premier League table, albeit temporarily, with a total of seven points. The win marks their first home victory of the season and underscores their growing confidence under the new coach. Fulham, on the other hand, sit in 14th place with two points after suffering their first defeat of the 2025-26 campaign. The loss highlighted their need for greater defensive solidity and attacking firepower as they look to climb up the league standings.

Chelsea's unbeaten run at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League now stretches to 12 games in 2025, with nine wins and three draws. Only Liverpool and Aston Villa can boast a similar unbeaten home record this calendar year. Joao Pedro's impressive start to his Chelsea career sees him join an elite group of players, including Diego Costa, Alvaro Morata, and Tammy Abraham, to have scored five or more goals in their first five starts for the club across all competitions. Meanwhile, Enzo Fernandez continues to make his mark, with nine goal involvements in his last 11 appearances for the Blues. Fulham's unwanted record sees them become the sixth team in Premier League history to concede a penalty in each of their first three games of a season, a feat last achieved by Newcastle United in 2021-22. The statistics underscore Chelsea's dominance and Fulham's struggles in the early stages of the season, ultimately reflecting the outcome of the match at Stamford Bridge, where Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea simply proved too strong for their opponents, as evidenced by their higher expected goals tally of 2.39 compared to Fulham's 1.09.