Chelsea experienced a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Fulham after conceding two late goals, despite leading through Cole Palmer’s first-half strike. Fulham’s substitutes, Harry Wilson and Rodrigo Muniz, delivered the decisive blows, with Muniz scoring the winner in the 95th minute. This goal marked the latest winning strike against Chelsea in the Premier League since Wolves’ Pedro Neto scored in similar fashion in 2020. Additionally, it was the first time Chelsea conceded a 90th-minute winner at Stamford Bridge since 2003. This defeat also saw Chelsea lose a Premier League game they were leading as late as the 82nd minute, a scenario last witnessed in 1999 against Arsenal. A victory would have closed the gap to Premier League leaders Liverpool to one point, but Chelsea remains four points adrift in second place, with manager Enzo Maresca stressing the need for reflection and improvement.
Maresca acknowledged his team’s inability to manage the second half, particularly their struggle to defend against Fulham’s swift counterattacks. Speaking to Amazon Prime, he noted that Chelsea conceded too many transitions in the opening minutes of the second half and failed to control the game. Despite their strong start, Chelsea was unable to withstand Fulham’s pressure in the dying moments. Maresca, however, downplayed the loss’s impact on their title challenge, viewing it as an opportunity to learn and bounce back. "This is just one game we lost," he stated, focusing on the importance of recovering quickly for their next match in three days. While Chelsea’s unbeaten streak came to an end, Maresca emphasized that the race for the title remains open, and the team must channel their focus into consistent performance.
Meanwhile, Fulham’s historic victory was celebrated by manager Marco Silva, who praised his players’ determination and tactical execution. It was Fulham’s first Premier League win at Stamford Bridge and their first victory away to Chelsea since 1979, breaking a 17-game winless streak at the venue. Silva highlighted the importance of the win for Fulham fans and expressed pride in his team’s performance, particularly their ability to keep up the pressure and create more significant chances than their hosts. Fulham had 14 shots with an expected goal value of 1.32 compared to Chelsea’s 0.95 from 12 attempts. Silva affirmed the team’s ambition to finish in the top half of the table, improving on last season’s performance. While Fulham celebrates this milestone victory, Chelsea is left to reassess their approach as they seek to stay competitive in the title race.
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