Chelsea suffered a 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge on Thursday's Boxing Day fixture against London rivals Fulham. The Blues took the lead through Cole Palmer in the 16th minute, however, late second-half goals from Harry Wilson and Rodrigo Muniz secured the visitors' comeback. Here are the key takeaways from Chelsea's performance:
1. Cole Palmer Shows Shades of Eden Hazard
During Eden Hazard’s time at Chelsea, there were matches where everything depended on his brilliance, sometimes leading to victories and other times ending in defeats despite his efforts. Thursday’s game mirrored that dynamic, with Cole Palmer embodying that Hazard-like role. His goal was a testament to his individual skill, dribbling past two defenders before unleashing an unstoppable strike. Despite Bernd Leno's excellent performance in goal, even he could do nothing to stop Palmer’s effort.
2. Boxing Day Woes Continue for Chelsea
Thursday's result marked Chelsea’s third Boxing Day defeat in their last four fixtures on this occasion. In London derbies on Boxing Day, it was their sixth loss in 11 matches since 1984. Given Chelsea’s form and position in the league, this should have been a straightforward victory. Nevertheless, the performance fell far short of expectations.
3. Chelsea Allow Fulham to Dictate Play
It is understandable for a team to cede control against superior opposition. But Chelsea, second in the table, should not have allowed Fulham - who had only one win in their previous six matches and failed to score against 20th-placed Southampton - to dominate proceedings. At Stamford Bridge, the visitors recorded more possession, passes, and shots.
Fulham’s left wingback, Antonee Robinson, roamed freely up and down the flank with little resistance. Chelsea failed to exploit the space he left behind, leaving Pedro Neto preoccupied with tracking Robinson instead of contributing to the attack.
Enzo Maresca’s negative setup encouraged Fulham manager Marco Silva, who adjusted tactically in the second half, pushing Timothy Castagne forward. Despite Fulham's increasing control, Chelsea made no tactical changes to wrest back the initiative.