Chelsea vs Fulham Preview: Team News, Predicted Line-ups, Kick-off Time

Chelsea host Fulham in a Saturday lunchtime clash at Stamford Bridge, as the Blues look to extend their unbeaten start to the season.

Enzo Maresca’s side arrive on the back of a commanding 5-1 win over West Ham at the London Stadium, while Fulham are still chasing their first victory after consecutive 1-1 draws against Brighton and Manchester United.

Chelsea will once again be without star man Cole Palmer, who suffered a groin injury during the warm-up against West Ham.

Despite his absence, last week’s display injected plenty of optimism around Stamford Bridge, with new signings João Pedro, Liam Delap, and Estevão Willian all producing standout performances.

The Blues remain without Levi Colwill, Benoît Badiashile, and Roméo Lavia, while Alejandro Garnacho - whose move is close to completion - will not feature as he has yet to be registered. Maresca is expected to name an unchanged side, though Reece James will be pushing to start ahead of Malo Gusto.

Fulham, meanwhile, come into the match encouraged by a strong showing against Manchester United last weekend. Marco Silva has no fresh injury concerns but will be without Andreas Pereira, who has completed a move to Palmeiras.

Despite a quiet transfer window, Silva has been resourceful with his squad.

Emile Smith Rowe’s goal off the bench against United was Fulham’s 19th strike from a substitute in their last 56 goals, underlining the side’s depth. Smith Rowe is in contention to start, though he faces competition from 17-year-old Joshua King, who has impressed since breaking into the team.

This fixture is often a cagey affair, but with both sides eager to prove their credentials, it promises to be a fascinating contest for fans looking to gauge their teams’ ambitions for the season ahead.

Predicted Line Ups:

Chelsea - Sanchez; James, Tosin, Chalobah, Cucurella; Enzo, Caicedo; Neto, Pedro, Estevao; Delap

Fulham - Leno; Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Sessegnon; Berge, Lukic; Wilson, Smith-Rowe, Iwobi; Jimenez