The Blues will arrive in good spirits after their emphatic 5–1 win over West Ham last weekend, their first victory of the campaign. That result lifted Enzo Maresca side back up to fourth place and restored some belief after a mixed start. Having already collected four points from two London derbies this season, the target is to make it seven from three with a victory on Saturday.
Chelsea welcome Fulham to Stamford Bridge this weekend in a Premier League clash that pits two neighbours with contrasting ambitions against each other.
🧩 Predicted Chelsea XI vs Fulham
Maresca and his staff have had a full week to prepare, and with no midweek commitments, he’s expected to name a strong lineup:
Goalkeeper
- Robert Sánchez – Conceded a wonder strike from Lucas Paquetá last week but remains first choice.
Defence
- Reece James – Rested last weekend, set to return at right-back.
- Tosin Adarabioyo – Growing in confidence, likely to keep his spot.
- Trevoh Chalobah – in central defence after steady performances.
- Marc Cucurella – Keeps his place at left-back after a strong showing.
Midfield
- Moises Caicedo – Ever-present anchor, key to controlling transitions.
- Enzo Fernández – Creative heartbeat alongside Caicedo.
- João Pedro – Expected to step in for the injured Cole Palmer, playing in the advanced midfield role.
Attack
- Pedro Neto – Likely to switch to the right wing this time.
- Jamie Gittens – Could replace Estevão Willian, who made a costly mistake against West Ham despite recovering later in the game.
- Liam Delap – Leads the line after impressing against the Hammers.
📌 Key absentee: Cole Palmer – ruled out by Maresca in his pre-match press conference.
🗣️ What Maresca said
Despite Chelsea’s confidence and strong historical record over Fulham, Enzo Maresca has been keen to stress caution:
“They are solid, they are well organised, they play nice football. They are very strong.
And it’s not random that they are doing well. Last year was a record of points in the Premier League, I think, for Fulham. They show how Marco [Silva] is good. The players, they are good.
So it’s a game that, like always, we need to be careful.”
📊 Key Context
Chelsea have historically dominated Fulham, rarely losing in this fixture.
Pundits Paul Merson and Chris Sutton have both predicted a Chelsea win.
Fulham, however, are a well-drilled side under Marco Silva, and last season achieved their highest-ever Premier League points tally.
🔑 What to watch for
Chelsea’s creativity without Cole Palmer: João Pedro has a chance to prove himself in the No. 10 role.
Wide battles: Pedro Neto vs Fulham’s full-backs could be decisive.
Liam Delap’s form: The young striker will look to continue his good momentum after scoring against West Ham.
