Cole Palmer returned to top form as Chelsea handed Xabi Alonso a winning start with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Fulham on Monday Night Football.
Palmer and Joao Pedro both scored and provided assists at Craven Cottage, with Chelsea taking the lead after just 31 seconds.
Palmer sent Joao Pedro through, and the Brazilian calmly lifted the ball over Bernd Leno to give Chelsea their fastest Premier League goal since 2016.
Fulham, however, showed plenty of fight in Alvaro Arbeloa’s first league match in charge, with Josh King equalising in the 23rd minute.
The goal was helped by an error from Robert Sanchez, who reached King’s effort but failed to hold onto his save.
Sanchez endured a difficult evening, looking unsettled throughout and again being exposed when Gonzalo Garcia scored on his Premier League debut in the 54th minute.
Garcia tapped into an empty net after Sanchez had parried Timothy Castagne’s shot into a dangerous area, although Chelsea had already moved 3-1 ahead through Rogers and Palmer.
Maxence Lacroix produced an impressive piece of skill to set up Rogers, who fired home his first Chelsea goal four minutes before the interval.
Rogers was involved again in Chelsea’s third shortly after half-time, flicking the ball towards Joao Pedro. The forward held it up superbly before setting up Palmer, who calmly drilled his finish beneath Leno.
Fulham threatened again after Garcia’s goal, with Sanchez fortunate when Antonee Robinson raced onto a ball over Chelsea’s defence but sent his lob narrowly wide.
That proved to be Fulham’s best opportunity until Rodrigo Muniz tested Sanchez from distance with the final kick of the match. Joao Pedro had also seen a goal ruled out for offside shortly beforehand.
Chelsea’s front three deliver the goods
Rogers, the most expensive British player in history, made an impressive start to life at Chelsea. Despite tougher tests undoubtedly lying ahead for the £117m signing, he formed part of a lively attacking trio that could trouble plenty of defences this season.
The former Aston Villa forward became the first player to score on his Premier League debut for Chelsea since Christopher Nkunku against Wolves in December 2023.
He also became the first Blues player on record since 2003-04 to register 3+ shots and create 3+ chances in the first half of his debut. Rogers also created five chances, the most by a Chelsea player on their Premier League debut on record.
Palmer, who endured a difficult 2025-26 campaign by his own high standards and missed out on England’s World Cup squad, looked back to his best.
His pass to Joao Pedro for Chelsea’s opener, the earliest goal ever scored by a team in the opening game of a Premier League campaign, was outstanding, while his finish for the third goal was composed.
Since making his Chelsea Premier League debut in September 2023, only Mohamed Salah (15) and Ollie Watkins (10) have scored and assisted in more matches than Palmer (nine).
Joao Pedro will also have his sights set on the Golden Boot this season. He registered four shots, second only to Palmer’s five, while also creating two chances.
It was an ideal beginning for Alonso, whose starting XI had an average age of 24 years and 43 days, making it the fifth-youngest starting XI fielded by a manager in his first Premier League game in charge.