Xabi Alonso officially begins his Chelsea managerial career on Monday evening as the Blues make the short journey across west London to face neighbours Fulham in the Premier League.
Alonso faces a pivotal selection call over whether to include Enzo Fernandez in Chelsea’s lineup for the trip to Fulham.
Alonso’s first competitive starting eleven as Chelsea manager promises to be a fascinating one.
The Blues travel to take on west London rivals Fulham on Monday evening as both clubs kick off their 2026/27 Premier League season under the floodlights at Craven Cottage. At approximately 6:45pm, attention will focus on whether Fernandez features in the Chelsea side for the match against the Cottagers.
There are naturally other interesting selection debates, but Fernandez is unquestionably the headline issue ahead of Fulham versus Chelsea. With that in mind, football.london examines whether the Argentina international, who remains linked with a move to Manchester City this summer, has a realistic chance of appearing in Chelsea’s midfield or whether Alonso will pursue an alternative approach.
A tactical shift from Alonso?
Throughout pre-season, Alonso predominantly employed a four-man defensive system. For the most part, this resembled a traditional 4-2-3-1 shape, something Chelsea supporters have become accustomed to in recent campaigns under previous managers.
However, when facing his former club Real Sociedad, Alonso switched to a 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 setup. The results were impressive.
Chelsea produced arguably their finest football of the summer in that final pre-season friendly. Whether that stemmed from returning players or the tactical change is open to debate. Both factors likely played a part.
Regardless, Alonso demonstrated he is not wedded to a single approach at Stamford Bridge. Sources close to the club informed football.london back in May when Alonso was first appointed that one of numerous reasons the Blues opted for the Spaniard was his adaptability in tactical situations.
This makes forecasting Alonso’s team selections more challenging for opposing managers. The 44-year-old coach must have been pleased with what he witnessed against La Real at the weekend, and there could well be a temptation to deploy a three-at-the-back system again, this time at Craven Cottage.
It appears likely that Robert Sanchez will begin the campaign as Chelsea’s primary goalkeeper. The Blues are hoping Mike Penders will push the Spaniard hard as the season progresses, but Sanchez is anticipated to be between the posts on Monday night.
Wesley Fofana will miss the opening two fixtures of the season after receiving a red card against Sunderland back in May. Unfortunately for the French defender, the suspension carries over to the new season, though fortunately for Chelsea, they possess more than adequate cover.
Josh Acheampong, held in high regard by senior figures at the club, appears to be the ideal candidate for that right-sided central defensive role. His ability to carry the ball out from the back, similar to Fofana’s qualities, suggests he should be a natural replacement for the suspended Frenchman.
Alongside Acheampong, Maxence Lacroix and Levi Colwill are expected to form the club’s primary centre-back partnership throughout the season, fitness permitting.
Pedro Neto impressed last weekend operating as a right wing-back. Despite persistent speculation regarding the Portugal international’s future at Stamford Bridge, Alonso could opt to deploy him in a similar capacity again on Monday, with the impressive Marco Palestra a contender for the opposite flank. Pep Chavarria is naturally an option from the substitutes’ bench.
Alonso could be tempted to omit Fernandez for a couple of reasons. First, the uncertainty and speculation surrounding his future at the club. Second, the fact he has not been present for much of the summer, having been granted an extended break following his World Cup achievements.
Reece James could instead feature in midfield alongside the outstanding Moises Caicedo at Fulham.
In attack, it appears fairly settled that a front three of Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro will lead the line. That sounds promising, does it not?
The beginning of what could develop into one of the Premier League’s most formidable attacking trios emerged in the 3-1 victory over Real Sociedad. Palmer on the right flank, Rogers on the left, and Joao Pedro, who demonstrated remarkable form during pre-season, operating as the central striker.
Proposed Chelsea lineup versus Fulham
football.london suggests the following (3-4-2-1): Sanchez; Acheampong, Lacroix, Colwill; Neto, James, Caicedo, Palestra; Palmer, Rogers; Joao Pedro