Without Palmer, Chelsea still secured an easy victory in the London derby

Chelsea showed their dominant power by beating Fulham 2-0 in the London derby of the Premier League’s third round, despite missing star Cole Palmer due to injury. Joao Pedro and captain Enzo Fernandez were the key players of the match, helping Chelsea keep control and secure all three points at Stamford Bridge.

Right from the beginning, Chelsea displayed superior control with high ball possession. However, they faced an early blow when striker Liam Delap got injured and was substituted off in the 14th minute for Tyrique George. Still, coach Enzo Maresca’s team stayed composed. In the 21st minute, Fulham almost took the lead when Joshua King made an impressive solo effort and scored past goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. Yet, after VAR consultation, the referee ruled that Rodrigo Muniz fouled Trevoh Chalobah, resulting in the goal being canceled.

Chelsea kept increasing their attacking pressure in the final moments of the first half. In the 9th minute of stoppage time, from a well-executed corner kick by Enzo Fernandez, Joao Pedro jumped high to head the ball into the net past goalkeeper Bernd Leno, giving Chelsea a 1-0 lead. This goal allowed the home side to go into halftime with confidence.