On Saturday, Chelsea faced a strong Fulham side that had recently secured points against top teams like Arsenal and Liverpool. Chelsea aimed to close the gap on Liverpool, who were set to play Leicester City later that evening.
Manager Enzo Maresca made key changes to the lineup, bringing back Pedro Neto from suspension, while Jadon Sancho continued on the left wing and Cole Palmer played in the number ten role behind Nicolas Jackson. Marc Cucurella also returned, having missed the previous match due to a red card. In defense, Tosin Adarabioyo partnered with Levi Colwill.
Against the flow of the game, Chelsea took the lead with a goal from Cole Palmer. They had several opportunities to extend their lead, while Fulham struggled to find the equalizer despite close chances from Raul Jimenez and Calvin Bassey, the latter of whom had a well-saved effort from Chelsea’s goalkeeper, Robert Sanchez.
In the second half, Chelsea started well, but Fulham gradually found their rhythm. Marco Silva made a tactical change, replacing Adama Traore with Harry Wilson, who soon scored a crucial equalizer with a header from a Timothy Castagne cross. Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz then clinched a late winner, leaving Chelsea fans frustrated as their team could slip to third place in the Premier League standings, especially if Arsenal were to succeed against Ipswich the following day.
Maresca has consistently stated that Chelsea is “not in the title race,” a sentiment aimed at alleviating pressure on his players. However, with their performance improving, some fans were beginning to see their team as genuine contenders for the EPL trophy, while others took a more cautious approach, focusing on one game at a time. The loss to Fulham raised questions about the potential consequences as the season progressed—could this setback haunt Chelsea come May 2025? Perhaps it was a reminder that they were never truly in the title race to begin with.
