Chelsea face Fulham with squad boosted by clean injury bill
Xabi Alonso has confirmed that Chelsea have no fresh injury concerns ahead of Monday’s Premier League opener against Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Chelsea’s injury update ahead of Fulham
Speaking to the media at Cobham on Thursday, Alonso said Chelsea had avoided new fitness setbacks before his first competitive match in charge. As Chelsea’s official website reported, Danny Welbeck should be fit to feature after managing a minor issue that limited his training for a couple of days.
Alonso said Welbeck was expected to return to training on Saturday, while stressing that the situation would continue to be assessed day by day. The Chelsea manager also confirmed that the players who returned late to pre-season following the World Cup are available for selection against Fulham.
That update puts the focus firmly on Chelsea’s choices for the trip across west London. Fulham and Chelsea begin their 2026/27 Premier League campaigns under the lights at Craven Cottage, with the match scheduled for Monday evening.
What Alonso’s update means for Chelsea’s XI
Robert Sanchez is expected to start the campaign in goal, while Mike Penders is expected to provide competition for the No.1 spot as the season develops. At the back, Wesley Fofana will miss Chelsea’s first two matches of the season after his red card against Sunderland in May. Josh Acheampong is a candidate to fill the right-sided centre-back role, with Maxence Lacroix and Levi Colwill also expected to be options in central defence.
Further forward, Enzo Fernandez remains one of the main selection questions. He has been linked with a move to Manchester City and returned to training with the team around 10 days earlier following his extended break after the World Cup. Alonso confirmed that the World Cup returnees are available, but their readiness will be assessed. Reece James could therefore be considered in midfield alongside Moises Caicedo.
Alonso used a four-man defence for much of pre-season, often in a 4-2-3-1 shape, before deploying a 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 system against Real Sociedad in Chelsea’s final friendly. The flexibility shown across those matches leaves open the possibility of either a three- or four-man defensive line at Craven Cottage.
Pedro Neto impressed at right wing-back in the 3-1 win over Real Sociedad and could again be used in that role, with Marco Palestra an option on the opposite flank. In attack, Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro are among the leading options after featuring together against Sociedad, when Joao Pedro led the line.
What happens next
The central message from Alonso’s update is clear: Chelsea have no fresh injury concerns, Welbeck is expected back in training on Saturday, and the players who returned late after the World Cup can be selected for Monday’s match.
Alonso’s final line-up remains to be confirmed. Fernandez’s involvement, the shape of Chelsea’s defence and the balance of the midfield are among the decisions still to be made before the Premier League opener at Craven Cottage.
