Premier League GW21 - Chelsea vs Fulham

Chelsea vs Fulham | Picture Credits: Premier League Website

Chelsea took on Fulham at Stamford Bridge in an eagerly awaited West London Derby. Following a midweek EFL Cup loss, Mauricio Pochettino's 10th-placed Blues looked for atonement. Fulham, on the other hand, wanted to get closer to their local rivals and build on their recent triumph over Arsenal.

Chelsea:

The 10th-placed Blues are still struggling to find their footing in Mauricio Pochettino's hit-and-miss season, which was made worse by their 1-0 loss to Middlesbrough, a lower division team, in their midweek EFL Cup semi-final match. But if Chelsea wins all three points today, they might go up as high as eighth after winning their previous two Premier League games against Crystal Palace and Luton.

Fulham:

Despite having a much quieter second season in the top flight than their first, Fulham is still four points behind Chelsea and in a respectable 13th place overall. The Fulham supporters will be hoping that their team will stop a three-game losing streak—during which Marco Silva's team failed to score a goal—with a 2-1 victory over high-flying Arsenal in their most recent encounter.

Line ups:

CHELSEA (4-3-3):

Djordje Petrovic; Malo Gusto, Axel Disasi, Thiago Silva, Levi Colwill; Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Conor Gallagher; Cole Palmer, Armando Broja, Raheem Sterling.

CHELSEA SUBS: Marcus Bettinelli, Lucas Bergstrom, Benoit Badiashile, Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chilwell, Deivid Washington, Alfie Gilchrist.

FULHAM (4-2-3-1):

Bernd Leno; Kenny Tete, Tosin Adarabioyo, Issa Diop, Antonee Robinson; Joao Palhinha, Tom Cairney; Harry Wilson, Andreas Pereira, Willian; Raul Jimenez.

FULHAM SUBS: Marek Rodak, Harrison Reed, Tim Ream, Bobby De Cordova-Reid, Rodrigo Muniz, Timothy Castagne, Sasa Lukic, Carlos Vinicius, Tyrese Francois.

Stamford Bridge Stadium | Picture Credits: Talk Chelsea

First Half: Palmer's Precision From the Spot

Up until the game took a dramatic turn in the forty-fifth minute, the first half was a tale of wasted opportunities. Palmer of Chelsea, calm under pressure, scored a goal past Leno with a low shot to give Chelsea the lead. The spot-kick was given for a clip on Sterling, and it was executed flawlessly, bringing the home crowd to tears. Palmer's exquisite goal forced Fulham to chase the game after their defense had held strong until then.

Palmer's penalty had given Chelsea a slim 1-0 lead when the halftime siren went off. Both sides had their opportunities, with Fulham displaying resiliency and Chelsea applying pressure. After earlier attempts by Gallagher, Broja, and Fernandez were rebuffed, Pereira and Wilson of Fulham put Petrovic to the test. With both teams fervently pursuing victory, the stage was set for an exciting second half.

Second Half: Woodwork Denies Sterling, Gallagher Shines

Chelsea was on the attack as the second half played out. Agonizingly close to doubling the lead, Sterling and Gallagher shook the woodwork. But Fulham came back, as Petrovic made vital stops to deny Jimenez and Pereira. Both sides made a push for goals as the time ran out, but the woodwork and valiant defense kept the score close.

Palmer's Penalties Seal the Deal

Following an exciting battle, Chelsea defeated Fulham 1-0 to win the match. Palmer's accuracy from the penalty spot turned out to be the game-winning kick, giving the Blues three vital points. The West London Derby showcased heated confrontations, near misses, and great goalkeeping. Chelsea moved up to sixth in the standings with their fourth straight league victory at home. While Fulham hopes to recover in their pursuit of points and pride, Mauricio Pochettino's team will want to build on this hard-earned success as the season progresses. Fans are already anticipating the next installment of this Premier League campaign after the drama-filled West London Derby lived up to expectations. Stamford Bridge celebrates another historic triumph.

Palmer's late goal in the first half gave Chelsea a 1-0 lead | Picture Credits: Premier League Website

Fulham struggled to score in the second half | Picture Credits: Premier League Website