Fulham’s Harry Wilson scored an 81st-minute winner to condemn Chelsea to a 2-1 defeat in the Premier League on Wednesday, as new Blues head coach Liam Rosenior watched from the stands.
Rosenior will take over a team that has dropped from fifth to seventh place with the defeat, having recorded just one win in their last nine games.
The former Strasbourg manager will also need to improve discipline following Marc Cucurella’s red card in the 22nd minute for bringing down Wilson – Chelsea’s eighth of the season in all competitions, including one for former boss Enzo Maresca.
The effervescent Wilson spelled Chelsea’s downfall. He had already had a goal disallowed by VAR for offside in the build-up and he scored after Chelsea keeper Robert Sánchez had blocked a shot as Fulham piled on the pressure against the tiring visitors.
Also read | Sesko doubled, but Man United held on for a 2-2 draw against lowly Burnley
Chelsea had equalized through Liam Delap in the 72nd after Fulham’s opener in the 55th minute – a Raul Jimenez header.
Chelsea might have squeezed a point out of the game, but Delap and Moises Caicedo had good chances saved by Bernd Leno in the Fulham goal.
Chelsea’s traveling fans made their opposition to the club’s American owners clear in chants during the defeat.
Maresca left on New Year’s Day after a row with owners BlueCo, who also run Strasbourg.
It was a difficult defeat for interim coach Calum McFarlane against their less prestigious neighbors just 1.4 miles away in the south-west London borough.
McFarlane returns to the under-21 team at Chelsea with a draw against Manchester City and Wednesday’s defeat to his name.
Published on January 8, 2026
