Fulham vs Chelsea Prediction and Tips for 23 August: Blues to Edge West London Derby

Written By Gareth Hinton | Published at August 24, 2026

Chelsea: Xabi Alonso — Jul 1, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Real Madrid C.F. head coach head coach Xabi Alonso arrives at the stadium during a round of 16 match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

London rivals Fulham and Chelsea go head-to-head in Monday night Premier League action at Craven Cottage.

Both teams would love to get their 2026-27 seasons up and running with three points. This promises to be an entertaining London derby, but who will come out on top? Check out our Fulham vs Chelsea prediction and the latest Premier League odds.

Fulham vs Chelsea Prediction, Odds & Preview

New Faces in the Dugouts

After his contract expired in the summer, Marco Silva left Craven Cottage to move to Benfica. Fulham moved fast to bring in Alvaro Arbeloa, who had previously managed Real Madrid.

Chelsea have brought in Xabi Alonso, who played with Arbeloa at Liverpool and Real Madrid. The Spaniard is looking to hit the ground running, and winning at Fulham in game one would be an exceptional start.

Big Expectations at Both Clubs

Silva did an outstanding job at Fulham, guiding the club to four mid-table EPL finishes after winning the EFL Championship in 2022. Arbeloa has big boots to fill at the Cottage.

Chelsea endured a miserable 2026-27 Premier League campaign, finishing in tenth and missing out on European football. Their best finish in the last four seasons was fourth in 2025.

Chelsea have been tipped by many to claim a top-four spot, but they will face fierce competition. As for Fulham, a top-half finish would be a great result for Arbeloa.

Pre-Season Campaigns

Fulham had a mixed pre-season, winning two, drawing two, and losing two. In their final game last weekend, the Whites edged past German side Stuttgart at Craven Cottage.

After back-to-back losses to Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus, Chelsea were unbeaten in their last three friendlies. The Blues beat AC Milan and Real Sociedad and drew with Johor Darul Ta’zim.

Head-to-Head Meetings

The rivals last met at Craven Cottage in January, with Fulham running out 2-1 winners. Harry Wilson, who is now a Leeds United player, hit the winner nine minutes from time.

Chelsea won the meeting at Stamford Bridge a year ago, with Joao Pedro and Enzo Hernandez on target in a 2-0 victory. The Blues’ last victory at Fulham was in April 2025.

Fulham vs Chelsea Prediction

PricedUp have Chelsea as the 10/11 favourites. Alonso has the stronger team on paper, and the Blues will be gunning for maximum points.

Fulham may be on home soil, but Arbeloa’s troops are the underdogs in this one at 16/5. Still, the Cottagers are eager to prove the bookies wrong, and their home ground can be a tough place to visit.

Chelsea have made several statement signings, with the big-money transfer for Morgan Rogers topping the bill. The England international will no doubt make a huge impact at Stamford Bridge this season.

PricedUp are offering 2/1 for Rogers to score anytime at Craven Cottage.

Our Prediction: Morgan Rogers to Score Anytime – 2/1, PricedUp

Fulham vs Chelsea Picks

Chelsea’s last victory at Fulham came in the 2024-25 season. Alex Iwobi opened the scoring in the first period, and the home side were leading up until the 83rd minute.

However, two late goals turned the game in Chelsea’s favour. Tyrique George's goal levelled the derby before Pedro Neto scored the winner in stoppage time.

This is likely to be another close encounter between the rivals. Only one goal has separated the pair in four of the last five meetings, and three of the past four have finished 2-1.

We fancy another 2-1 scoreline here, and you can get the tempting price of 7/1 for Chelsea to edge it.