Chelsea's unbeaten run has come to an end after a dramatic 2-1 loss to Marco Silva's men in Boxing Day's West London Derby. The Blues took the lead and dominated the first half, going into halftime 1-0 up.
Marc Cucurella returned to the lineup but had a terrible game. Cole Palmer was great, but he couldn't change the outcome despite scoring a magnificent goal early in the game. Chelsea conceded easy goals, which isn't surprising. Conceding four big chances against Southampton a few weeks ago should have alerted fans to the team's issues.
Here's how the Pride of London rates the Blues after a disappointing derby defeat:
Robert Sanchez: 7/10
Sanchez was good and wasn't at fault for any of the goals Chelsea conceded. Both goals resulted from a breakdown in midfield and defense, leaving him exposed. His long passing was poor, as usual.
Malo Gusto: 6/10
Gusto wasn't involved defensively as much as he should have been, given the circumstances. Chelsea conceded more shots and as many big chances as the away side, but Gusto was only involved in three ground duels and made three defensive actions all game.
Tosin Adarabioyo: 6/10
Adarabioyo was slightly more involved than Gusto but only won 50% of his duels, which is low for someone with his athletic profile and build.
Levi Colwill: 7.5/10
Colwill was the busier centerback and won a majority of his duels. He faced several waves of attacks from Fulham in the second half, and there wasn't much he could do to stop them. His passing was much better than it has been in recent weeks.
Marc Cucurella: 4/10
Cucurella had a horrible game, losing every duel he contested except one, which is abysmal for a fullback. He also missed a huge chance to double Chelsea's lead.
Moises Caicedo: 6/10
Caicedo struggled against Marco Silva's men, failing to impose himself on the game. His ball-winning was poor, making four fouls while winning just one tackle. His passing was uncharacteristically poor, completing just 81% of his passes. He was overly involved in buildup, likely by design.
Enzo Fernandez: 6.5/10
Fernandez also struggled, especially off the ball. His passing was poor, though he created one of Chelsea's three clear-cut chances. He lost 9/13 duels and completed 2/7 tackles. The Blues lost control of the midfield in the second half, as Fulham prevented Fernandez and Caicedo from getting on the ball.
Pedro Neto: 5/10
Neto was a non-factor, contributing little in the final third and even less in the defensive third. Noni Madueke didn't appear in the Matchday squad, and it seems tempting to think any other option would have offered more.
Cole Palmer: 8.5/10
Palmer was head and shoulders above every other Chelsea player, but even he couldn't change the Blues' fortunes. His goal showcased technical excellence, though Bernd Leno probably should have done better. He was strong in his duels and won important fouls.
Jadon Sancho: 4.5/10
Sancho was underwhelming once again. His performance was made worse by missing a big chance. He created nothing and didn't even rack up dribble numbers.
Nicolas Jackson: 6.5/10
Jackson had a busy game and was solid, but he couldn't make his mark. He took only one shot, though his hold-up play was good in the first half, troubling Fulham's centerbacks.
Christopher Nkunku: 5/10
Nkunku was ineffective, but not for lack of trying. His movement was good, and his shooting was better than the man he replaced. He took a well-placed shot late in the game, but Leno made a great save.
Enzo Maresca: 4/10
Again, Maresca decided not to use as many substitutes as he could - and while it may seem like hindsight analysis - this wasn't a good decision. Sancho and Neto shouldn't have remained on the pitch. Chelsea has enough forwards to not need to persist with mediocrity in-game. Silva adjusted his game plan in the second half, and Maresca had no answer, making this loss his responsibility.