Chelsea secured a 2-0 win over Fulham in a fiery West London derby at Stamford Bridge, though VAR controversy overshadowed much of the contest.
The game swung midway through the first half when 18-year-old Josh King appeared to have given Fulham the lead with a superb finish, only for VAR to intervene.
After a lengthy review, referee Robert Jones ruled that Pedro Muniz had fouled Trevoh Chalobah in the build-up, sparking fury from manager Marco Silva and the travelling Fulham fans.
Chelsea took full advantage of the reprieve deep into first-half stoppage time, when João Pedro rose highest to head home Enzo Fernández’s corner and give the hosts the lead.
The visitors’ frustration grew early in the second half as another VAR check went against them. João Pedro was cleared of a foul moments before Ryan Sessegnon was judged to have handled Chalobah’s cross. From the penalty spot, Fernández calmly converted to double Chelsea’s advantage.
Fulham had earlier threatened through Joachim Andersen, Alex Iwobi, and Muniz, who forced a sharp save from Robert Sánchez, but their momentum ebbed away after the controversial calls.
Chelsea, meanwhile, pushed for a third with Estêvão Willian and Pedro both denied by Bernd Leno late on.
The victory keeps Chelsea’s strong start to the 2025/26 Premier League season on track, but Fulham will feel aggrieved after seeing key moments turn against them in a derby decided as much by technology as by goals.
