Harry Wilson struck an 81st-minute winner as Fulham beat 10-man Chelsea 2-1 at Craven Cottage, moving Marco Silva's side to within three points of the Premier League top four and leaving new Blues head coach Liam Rosenior, appointed on Tuesday, watching a damaging defeat from the stands.
Fulham’s victory continued a strong Premier League surge, stretching an unbeaten league sequence to six matches and further underlining Wilson’s influence, with the winger now directly involved in 11 Premier League goals this season, while Chelsea’s run of one win in nine league outings increased pressure before Rosenior even reached the technical area.
Chelsea’s task grew difficult after 22 minutes when Marc Cucurella received a red card for denying a clear scoring
chance, pulling back Wilson as the winger broke through, and although the referee’s call went to VAR, the dismissal stood, setting the pattern for a night where video checks shaped several major incidents.
Wilson thought Fulham had struck first before half-time with a fierce finish, yet Raul Jimenez was ruled offside in the build-up following another VAR review, but Jimenez later delivered in the 55th minute, steering a precise header from Sander Berge’s cross past Robert Sanchez to give Fulham a deserved advantage against the depleted visitors.
Chelsea still responded despite playing with 10, as Liam Delap reacted quickest 17 minutes later, stabbing home from close range to claim a first Premier League goal for Chelsea and level the score, but Wilson had the final say, controlling Sanchez’s parry from Emile Smith Rowe’s shot before driving a low match-winning effort into the bottom corner.
There was also a pointed message from the Craven Cottage stands afterwards, with a social media post shared by the club’s official account carrying the line: "There's only one team in Fulham. "
There's only one team in Fulham.pic.twitter.com/qGzcQIzUp7Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) January 7, 2026
Premier League stats from Fulham vs Chelsea
Wilson dominated the attacking numbers against Chelsea, recording eight attempts and three shots on target, generating an individual expected goals figure of 0.78, while the 11 league goal contributions this season represent Wilson’s highest direct return in a single Premier League campaign and match the seven-goal top-flight haul recorded during the 2019-20 season.
| Statistic | Fulham | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|
| Final score | 2 | 1 |
| Red cards | 0 | Marc Cucurella (22') |
| Harry Wilson shots | 8 (3 on target) | - |
| Harry Wilson xG | 0.78 | - |
| Fulham unbeaten league run | 6 matches | - |
| Chelsea last 9 league games | - | 1 win, 5 draws, 3 losses |
Chelsea’s broader Premier League picture looked bleak, with this setback meaning Chelsea had collected just one victory from the previous nine league fixtures and also suffered a first London derby defeat since a 1-0 reverse at Arsenal last March, ending a nine-match unbeaten sequence in league meetings against capital rivals as Rosenior assessed the scale of the challenge.
Fulham’s latest success strengthened the club’s push towards the Premier League’s upper positions and highlighted Wilson’s status as a central attacking threat, while Chelsea left Craven Cottage facing renewed questions over discipline, consistency and derby resilience, with Rosenior inheriting a squad short on form as the season’s second half approached.
