Xabi Alonso began his Chelsea tenure with a 3–2 win over Fulham on the 2026–27 Premier League opening weekend.
Chelsea defeated Fulham at Craven Cottage on Monday 24 August 2026, the final match of the opening round. The west London derby gave Alonso a winning start in his first Premier League match as Chelsea manager.
João Pedro put Chelsea ahead after just 31 seconds. Fulham equalised through Josh King, but Morgan Rogers restored Chelsea’s lead before Cole Palmer added a third early in the second half. Gonzalo García scored for Fulham, yet Chelsea held on.
The match also marked Álvaro Arbeloa’s first top-flight game in charge of Fulham, making the derby a meeting of two new managers. That detail can cause confusion when identifying Alonso: Arbeloa was the manager of the losing side, while Alonso led Chelsea to victory.