Fulham hit hard, Chelsea fold again
Craven Cottage struck again. In a crackling London derby, Fulham downed Chelsea 2-1 after a tense, stop-start game, settled by one man on fire: Harry Wilson. A late strike, a stadium in meltdown, and the Blues left frustrated, diminished and as jittery as ever.
In the stands, newly appointed Liam Rosenior watched in silence. On the bench, Calum McFarlane held the fort. And on the pitch, Chelsea realised very quickly the night would be long.
The Cucurella moment
Twenty-two minutes in and it all changed. Harry Wilson peeled away behind the defence, Marc Cucurella panicked and clipped him. Straight red. Obvious goalscoring chance. VAR confirms. No debate. Chelsea down to ten, Fulham smell blood.
Minutes later Wilson thought he’d rocked Craven Cottage with a superb strike. But VAR intervened again. Raul Jimenez was offside at the start of the move. Goal ruled out. Chelsea breathe. A little.
Jimenez makes amends, Chelsea answer
After the break Fulham came out strong. This time it paid off. In the 55th minute Raul Jimenez met Sander Berge’s cross perfectly. A glancing header, Sanchez beaten. 1-0. Fair enough.
Chelsea didn’t collapse. Better: they responded. Seventeen minutes later, Liam Delap lingered in the box, sensed it, nudged the ball home. His first Premier League goal in blue. 1-1. Against the run of play, but Chelsea hung on.
Wilson, again and again
By pushing relentlessly, Fulham finally found the opening. In the 81st minute Emile Smith Rowe shot, Sanchez parried. Bad idea. The ball fell to Harry Wilson, who didn’t hesitate. A fierce, low drive off the post and in. Craven Cottage erupted. 2-1.
Chelsea offered one last gasp, but no composure, no energy. Down to ten, it was too much to ask.
Wilson in the zone
Harry Wilson produced a complete performance. Eight shots, three on target, an individual xG of 0.78. And above all, constant influence. This season the Welshman already has 11 goal contributions — seven goals and four assists. His best tally yet. He also equals his Premier League goals record. A symbol of a Fulham that pushes forward with no fear.
Chelsea sink deeper, Fulham dream
For the Blues the picture is brutal. Just one win in their last nine Premier League games. Five draws, three defeats. And this time even derbies go against them. Chelsea hadn’t lost a London derby since March against Arsenal. That run ends here.
Liam Rosenior has his work cut out. Plenty. Chelsea are in doubt, under pressure, going nowhere. Fulham, by contrast, play free, confident and ambitious.
At Craven Cottage that night there was only one team that truly believed. And it showed.
Leave a Reply