Chelsea secured a 1-0 victory over Fulham, their west London neighbours, in the Premier League on Saturday. The winning goal came from a Cole Palmer penalty, marking the Blues’ third consecutive win. However, Mauricio Pochettino’s team struggled in front of the goal throughout the match.
The decisive moment arrived in the dying moments of the first half when Palmer successfully converted a spot kick, sending Fulham’s Bernd Leno the wrong way. The penalty was awarded after Raheem Sterling was fouled by Issa Diop, who left a trailing foot.
Palmer, who joined Chelsea from Manchester City as a last-minute summer signing, has now scored nine league goals and has quickly established himself as the most dangerous player on the Chelsea squad.
While Fulham had opportunities to equalize, including a shot from Raul Jimenez that forced Chelsea’s Djordje Petrovic to make a one-handed save in the 73rd minute, they were unable to capitalize. Chelsea captain Conor Gallagher also came close to scoring, hitting the post with a shot from the outside of his boot in the 83rd minute.
A significant moment in the match occurred when Ben Chilwell was substituted on from the Chelsea bench, marking the return of the England defender from injury. This move potentially resolves Chelsea’s left-back issue, which Levi Colwill, a centre half, has struggled to address.
Following this win, Chelsea moved up two places in the league table to eighth, surpassing Manchester United and Newcastle United, both of which have a game in hand over the Blues. Fulham, on the other hand, remained in 13th place, eight points clear of the relegation zone.
(Reporting by William Schomberg; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
