Chelsea capitalised on a night of VAR drama to secure a controversial 2-0 victory over Fulham in a heated West London derby at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Brazilian forward Joao Pedro opened the scoring deep into stoppage time at the end of the first half, before Enzo Fernández converted a second-half penalty that left Fulham boss Marco Silva raging on the touchline.
The game, however, will be remembered less for Chelsea’s clinical edge and more for the succession of contentious refereeing decisions that tilted the balance firmly in favour of the Blues.
Fulham thought they had taken a deserved lead in the 21st minute when 18-year-old Josh King showed composure beyond his years, racing clear to slot past Robert Sánchez for what would have been his first Premier League goal.
Yet jubilation quickly turned to despair. VAR instructed referee Rob Jones to review an earlier coming together between Rodrigo Muniz and Trevoh Chalobah. Despite appearing accidental, the Brazilian’s contact was deemed a foul, and the goal was chalked off — sparking an explosive reaction from Silva, who tore into the fourth official in disbelief.
Fulham’s frustration deepened when Chelsea, who had offered little in the opening half, struck in the ninth minute of what was supposed to be eight minutes of stoppage time. From a Fernández corner, Pedro rose unmarked to head home, sending Stamford Bridge wild while Fulham’s players protested the questionable additional seconds.
Silva’s fury boiled over again as he stormed towards the officials at half-time, with Fulham supporters chanting: “1-0 to the referee!”
Penalty Twist Seals It
The second half brought no respite. In the 56th minute, Ryan Sessegnon was penalised for handling Chalobah’s cross inside the box. VAR once again played its part, clearing a potential foul by Pedro earlier in the move before awarding the penalty.
Fernández stepped up with ice-cold precision, burying the spot-kick to make it 2-0 and effectively end Fulham’s hopes of salvaging the derby.
The win extends Chelsea’s unbeaten run to three games under Enzo Maresca, following a draw with Crystal Palace and a 5-1 thrashing of West Ham. But their attacking options suffered another blow, with new signing Liam Delap limping off after just 15 minutes with a suspected hamstring injury.
With Cole Palmer already sidelined through a groin problem, Maresca faces a growing injury headache despite Chelsea’s encouraging start.
Meanwhile, Argentine winger Alejandro Garnacho was spotted in the stands, with his transfer from Manchester United on the verge of completion. Striker Nicolas Jackson looks set for a loan to Bayern Munich, while Christopher Nkunku sealed a move to AC Milan earlier in the day.
For Marco Silva, however, this derby will sting long after the final whistle. Two disallowed goals, a hotly-debated penalty, and stoppage-time chaos left Fulham’s boss fuming at what he branded an “unfair contest.”
In the end, Chelsea walked away with three points, but the controversy ensures this fiery West London clash will be debated long after the headlines fade.
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