Fulham vs Chelsea Prediction: Premier League Best Bets, Odds, H2H and Full Match Preview
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It's a reunion with layers. Arbeloa replaced Alonso in charge of Real Madrid midway through last season, and now finds himself at Fulham after Marco Silva left the Cottagers for Benfica, the same Benfica job Jose Mourinho vacated to return to Madrid. Arbeloa and Alonso were also Liverpool teammates for years before that, having played 46 league games together at Anfield.
Kick-off: Monday, August 24, 2026, 8:00pm BST (3:00pm ET), Craven Cottage
Team News
Fulham: Joachim Andersen and Tom Cairney are both out.
Chelsea: Mamadou Sarr and Wesley Fofana are out, Jordan Henderson is out, and Enzo Fernandez is a doubt.
How Both Teams Have Prepared
Fulham's summer under Arbeloa has been mixed. They finished preseason with a W-L-D-L-D-W record, two wins from six, including a 1-0 win over Stuttgart, alongside losses to Norwich City and Crystal Palace and draws with Al-Ahli and Malaga. Gonzalo Garcia and Cesar Palacios, who followed Arbeloa from Real Madrid, are expected to give Fulham's attack a younger, more mobile look, with Garcia tipped to lead the line. Shea Charles has also arrived from Southampton to add midfield depth, though the sales of Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez leave a gap in the final third that Fulham haven't fully replaced on paper.
Chelsea head into the opener in noticeably better form: three wins from six preseason matches, and 16 goals scored against 11 conceded. They finished their preparations with a 3-1 win over Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge, in which British-record £117m signing Morgan Rogers scored on his debut and Joao Pedro added two more. Alonso's task now is turning that attacking output into defensive solidity, an area that was clearly still a work in progress in preseason.
Head-to-Head
Chelsea hold a heavily one-sided record in this fixture, winning 12 of the last 16 meetings between the sides, with Fulham managing just one win and three draws across that stretch. Fulham have lost six of their last eight home meetings with Chelsea specifically, though they'll take some encouragement from a 2-1 win over the Blues at Craven Cottage earlier in 2026. The two sides split last season's two meetings, with the home team winning on both occasions.
Both clubs finished last season level on 52 points, Chelsea 10th and Fulham 11th, separated only by goal difference, and neither qualified for European football this year.
Key Summer Signings
Chelsea in: Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa, £117m, British transfer record), Maxence Lacroix, Marco Palestra, Geovany Quenda, Emmanuel Emegha, Danny Welbeck, Jordan Henderson
Chelsea out: Marc Cucurella, Andrey Santos, Trevoh Chalobah
Fulham in: Gonzalo Garcia, Cesar Palacios (both following Arbeloa from Real Madrid), Shea Charles
Fulham out: Harry Wilson, Raul Jimenez, manager Marco Silva (to Benfica)
Fulham vs Chelsea Prediction
We think Chelsea will pull away to win on Monday Night Football. Arbeloa's spell in charge of Real Madrid's Castilla side was underwhelming, and his short stint with the Real Madrid first team didn't do much to build his managerial reputation. He now takes charge of a Fulham side widely tipped to struggle this season, while Alonso arrives with a full preseason behind him and every reason to be confident of a fast start at Craven Cottage.
Score prediction: Chelsea 3-1 Fulham
Fulham vs Chelsea Best Bets
Chelsea to win. Chelsea have underperformed relative to expectations throughout the BlueCo-owned era, but on paper they should be too strong here.
Cole Palmer to have a shot on target (-115 with BetMGM). Palmer has had a shot on target in each of his last five appearances against Fulham. Rested after missing out on the World Cup, he should be sharp and firmly in the mood to reassert himself this season.
Joao Pedro to score or assist. With Chelsea expected to dominate the ball, backing their key attackers makes sense, and Joao Pedro fits the bill after an impressive debut season at Stamford Bridge, recording a direct goal involvement in three of his final five matches last season, form he carried straight into his preseason brace against Real Sociedad.
Fulham vs Chelsea Odds
Chelsea are favourites to win this Premier League opener. Odds below are correct at the time of writing, so check with your sportsbook for the latest prices before betting.
| Result | DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea to win | -110 | -125 | -118 |
| Draw | +280 | +270 | +270 |
| Fulham to win | +275 | +290 | +280 |
Best Same Game Parlay for Fulham vs. Chelsea
- Chelsea to win (-110)
- Cole Palmer 1+ shots on target (-255)
- Joao Pedro to score or assist (+105)
- Full SGP odds: +290 at DraftKings
How to Watch Fulham vs Chelsea
In the UK: Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage starting at 7:00pm ahead of the 8:00pm kick-off. TalkSPORT will carry commentary.
In the US: TV channel is USA Network. The match is also available to stream via Universo, DirecTV Stream, Sling Blue, Hulu + Live TV and Fubo Latino.
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