Xabi Alonso's first Chelsea game began with a 3-2 victory over West London rivals Fulham. It was a positive start for a Blues side that could be a dark horse in the title race this season, especially as they have no European football.
It was far from a perfect performance, but Alonso will be pleased with how the majority of his players performed. However, there were some negatives that could undermine their season.
3 immediate winners from Xabi Alonso's first Chelsea game
Morgan Rogers
There is huge pressure on Morgan Rogers to perform, especially after costing Chelsea £117 million. Scoring on his debut was a fantastic way for Rogers to begin his Chelsea account. Many big-money signings have flopped at Stamford Bridge.
This includes the likes of Andriy Shevchenko, Fernando Torres and Romelu Lukaku. However, Rogers is already a hit with the Blues. His former club, Aston Villa, lost 4-0 to Brighton at the weekend; this shows that Rogers made the right decision in leaving Unai Emery's side.
João Pedro
Scoring in the first minute is the best way to begin your season. João Pedro's goal after 30 seconds was assisted by Cole Palmer. Pedro then returned the favour by setting up Palmer, who sealed the victory.
Pedro could challenge the likes of Erling Haaland for the Golden Boot in the Premier League this season. It was thought that Pedro was more of a second striker, but he is proving that he can be the main goal threat.
Maxence Lacroix
Maxence Lacroix impressed at Crystal Palace, which led to his £52 million move to Chelsea. He could go to another level at the Blues under Alonso. The Blues manager trusted him to make a surging run up the field, which set up Rogers' goal. Playing a back three suits Lacroix to a tee. The French international is 26, so he should be hitting his prime.
3 losers from Xabi Alonso's first Chelsea game
Robert Sánchez
Amazingly, Robert Sánchez is still Chelsea's first-choice goalkeeper. He has been seen as the weakness in their lineup for some time. There was talk that Mike Maignan could replace him, but a move for the AC Milan keeper never came to fruition.
Sánchez was at fault for both of Fulham's goals. He was beaten at the near post when Josh King scored. Then, he could only parry the ball into the path of Gonzalo Garcia, who scored the Cottagers' second. Sanchez did not look confident with his feat either.
Mike Penders, who was on loan at Chelsea's sister club Strasbourg last season, has a bigger shout to start ahead of Sánchez.
Levi Colwill
Surprisingly, Levi Colwill did not have his best game against Fulham. He got an early yellow card, but fortunately managed to play the full 90 minutes. Lacroix and Josh Acheampong both impressed, but Colwill was the weakness. Colwill is key to Chelsea's defensive structure, so he needs to improve if the Blues are going to be successful this season.
Enzo Fernandez
Enzo Fernandez performed well when he came on for Romeo Lavia. However, the fact that he started on the bench was a sign from Alonso that his future could still be elsewhere. The manager has also remained tight-lipped on the Argentine's future in press conferences.
Chelsea set a deadline for Fernandez to be sold, which has passed. Despite this, the midfielder continues to be linked with Manchester City. They are managed by his former Blues boss Enzo Maresca. City could also do with a new midfielder after selling Rodri to Barcelona.
Many Chelsea fans are still not happy with the player, as he has been angling for a move away from Stamford Bridge for some time.
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