Chelsea play host to London rivals Fulham on Matchday 3 of the 2025/26 English Premier League season, with both sides hoping for a significant result to climb higher in the standings.
Ayomide Oguntimehin looks ahead to the August 30th clash at the Stamford Bridge Stadium.
Chelsea vs Fulham Match Preview
Chelsea bounced back from a disappointing goalless draw against FA Cup holders Crystal in their league opener with a comprehensive 5-1 victory over West Ham United on Matchday 2. Despite missing talisman Cole Palmer, who withdrew from the line-up after picking up a muscle injury in warm-up, goals from Joao Pedro, Pedro Neto, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Trevoh Chalobah secured a first win of the season for the Blues.
They are currently third on the league standings behind only Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur and will look to continue their unbeaten run with a first home win of the season against their London neighbors.
Fulham, meanwhile, recorded a second consecutive draw to start the league season with a 1-1 result against Manchester United in their second match of the season. Emile Smith-Rowe equalized after coming on as a second half substitute to secure an important point for Marco Silva’s side.
The Cottagers began their season with a 1-1 draw against Brighton and Hove Albion on matchday one and currently occupy the 13th position on the EPL standings with two points. They head into the London derby in their next match, with eyes firmly set on recording a first win of the new season.
Chelsea vs Fulham Head-to-Head Record
- 20.04.2025 – Fulham 1-2 Chelsea
- 26.12.2024 – Chelsea 1-2 Fulham
- 13.01.2024 – Chelsea 1-0 Fulham
- 02.10.2023 – Fulham 0-2 Chelsea
- 30.07.2023 – Chelsea 2-0 Fulham
Chelsea have gained the upper hand in recent meetings between both sides, with four victories in the last five matches. The Blues 2-1 defeat to Fulham in their last home meeting was also the only time they have lost at home to their neighbors in the league.
Recent Form: Chelsea
Chelsea have enjoyed an impressive form in recent outings and are currently on a nine-match unbeaten streak. They have also failed to score just once in their last 14 matches in all competitions.
The Blues are unbeaten in their last 11 matches at home in the league, with their last defeat being a 2-1 loss to Fulham in December 2024.
Recent Form: Fulham
Fulham have also improved in recent outings, with three wins and two draws in their last five matches. However, they have only won three of their last 10 matches in the league and two of their last five on the road.
The Cottagers are also without a clean sheet in their last 12 league matches and face a tough task against Chelsea, who have scored in seven of their last nine league games.
Player to watch: Alex Iwobi (Fulham)
The Nigerian midfielder Alex Iwobi had the joint-most goal contributions for Fulham in the league last season (15) and provided the assist for Emile Smith-Rowe’s equalizer against Manchester United in their last outing.
The Cottagers will benefit from Iwobi’s ability to play in multiple positions against a well-drilled Chelsea team.
View this post on Instagram
Best Betting Odds
Over 1.5 Goals – 1.21 (via1xBet)
Prediction
Fulham’s poor defensive record combined with Chelsea’s strong attack makes this match a sure bet to produce over two goals.
