Chelsea beats Fulham as Rogers scores in debut

LONDON, England 

Cole Palmer was back to his best to get Xabi Alonso's Chelsea career off to a winning start in a chaotic 3-2 victory at Fulham on Monday Night Football.

The Blues' attacking trio of Palmer, Joao Pedro and Morgan Rogers looked every bit the most potent in the Premier League as all three scored in a game where entertainment reigned and defending was an afterthought.

Palmer, finally injury-free and all the better for a summer off from England's World Cup campaign, scored one and made another in the kind of performance he had found so difficult to reproduce last season.

It took just 31 seconds for him to lay down a marker by teeing up an opener for Joao Pedro - himself refreshed after his surprise Brazil omission. The front three never looked back from there.

Rogers got in on the act on debut with a late run to finish Maxence Lacroix's cross just before half-time, before his flick-on released Joao Pedro to set up Palmer for a third shortly after the break.

Chelsea would have had an easier night despite the surprise absence of Moises Caicedo without a nightmare performance from goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, whose mistakes twice let Fulham back into the game.

The Spaniard, whose position as the Blues' No 1 has long been questioned, let Josh King's powerful but saveable drive in at his near post to level matters midway through the opening period before spilling a shot straight into the path of Goncalo Garcia to allow Fulham to make it 3-2.

The first taste of the Alvaro Arbeloa era suggested the Cottagers will play on the front foot regardless of opposition and they created plenty against their west London rivals - but will need to significantly improve their defensive discipline after being cut wide open for each of Chelsea's goals.

On this evidence they will have score plenty too - and could have snatched a late equaliser when Antonee Robinson horribly miscued a chip with Sanchez in no man's land. But anything less than an away victory would have been harsh on Chelsea, who ran out deserved winners thanks to their electric front three.