Robert Sanchez: A poor early pass handed Fulham a corner. He should have kept out King’s near-post equaliser, while his save before Fulham’s second goal pushed the ball into a threatening position for Garcia to finish. 3
Josh Acheampong: The 20-year-old made an excellent double clearance and block in the 27th minute, remaining dependable for the rest of the match. 6
Maxence Lacroix: Played a notable role in Chelsea’s opening two goals. His headed clearance helped create the first, before his surge along the right and low pass provided the opportunity for Rogers. 7
Levi Colwill: An early error resulted in a foul on Bobb, and he was fortunate to receive only a yellow card. He also shared responsibility for Fulham’s second after failing to deal with a deep delivery. 5
Malo Gusto: Selected unexpectedly at wing-back because of Chelsea’s injury concerns, but some of his passing was hesitant and inaccurate. 5
Romeo Lavia: Received an early booking for a mistimed tackle on Bassey. His influence improved as the game progressed, with a close attempt from a corner and some composed midfield distribution. 5
Reece James: Had a mishit first-half attempt stopped, but became increasingly influential and helped Chelsea establish control of the contest. 6
Jorrel Hato: Deployed in the unfamiliar position of wing-back, he showed promise with an early forward run and adjusted effectively to the role. 6
Cole Palmer: Comfortably the standout performer. He combined creativity and strength with several outstanding dribbles, then completed his display by scoring a brilliant third goal. The summer break appears to have revitalised him. 9
Morgan Rogers: Delivered a superb performance on his debut. He pressed with intensity, saw an effort blocked, created an opening for Joao Pedro and scored Chelsea’s second with a composed finish at the far post. 8
Joao Pedro: Put Chelsea ahead after only 31 seconds by delicately lifting the ball over Leno. He later recognised and exploited Fulham’s advanced defensive line to create Palmer’s goal. 8
Substitutes:
Enzo Fernandez (on 65, Lavia): The home supporters jeered the Argentine whenever he received the ball, and he may not have played if Moises Caicedo had been available. Even so, Fernandez circulated possession effectively and competed strongly to regain it. 6
Pep Chavarria (on 65, Hato): The wing-back was mainly required to defend during his short debut appearance and had few opportunities to make a noticeable impact. 5
Pedro Neto (on 76, Gusto): 5
Geovany Quenda (on 82, Rogers): 5
Estevao (on 83, Palmer): 5
Unused substitutes: Penders, Barco, Gittens, Welbeck.
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