Cole Palmer stole the show as Xabi Alonso's reign as Chelsea manager got under way with a thrilling Premier League victory at neighbours Fulham in their opening match.

The 24-year-old produced a coruscating display at Craven Cottage, laying on Joao Pedro's opener, which arrived just 31 seconds into the game, and scoring what proved to be the winner with a composed finish through Bernd Leno's legs.

Palmer was unplayable at times and Alonso will also be delighted that the club's record summer signing Morgan Rogers marked his league bow with a goal from a cutback by Maxence Lacroix, another debutant.

However, the hosts ensured this was a far from comfortable managerial introduction to the English top flight for Spaniard Alonso.

Fulham's teenage midfielder Josh King, who was impressive throughout, levelled during the first period, with a fizzing shot that beat visiting goalkeeper Robert Sanchez at his near post.

And Gonzalo Garcia, a summer acquisition from Real Madrid, also got off the mark for Fulham when he nodded in from close range to give Alvaro Arbeloa's side hope of taking a point in an end-to-end affair.

However, Chelsea stood firm to register a first win in their opening league match since 2022-23.

The opening stages of this contest only confirmed what many had anticipated before a ball had been kicked this term – when Joao Pedro, Palmer and Rogers line up for Chelsea, Alonso has an irresistible attacking triumvirate at his disposal.

After his previous campaign was hampered by fatigue and injuries that ultimately cost him a place in Thomas Tuchel's plans at the World Cup this summer, Chelsea playmaker Palmer delivered an instant reminder of his match-winning talent in west London.

His nonchalant flick set Joao Pedro on his way and his second-half goal underlined a fine performance.

While there was also evidence that Alonso has been able to impress his ideas on the squad with some neat positional interchanges, notably for their second goal, there were also some familiar failings on show.

A lapse of concentration cost Levi Colwill a booking and his manhandling of King shortly after was inadvisable at best for a player already on a yellow card.

There will also be the inevitable inquest over whether Sanchez is a competent enough number one for a club with aspirations of winning the biggest trophies on offer.

The 28-year-old Spaniard had already made an unconvincing start to the new campaign with two elementary distribution errors to put his team under unnecessary pressure, when he left a huge gap at his near post to allow King to drive home an equaliser.

While further errors from Colwill and Sanchez contributed to Fulham's second, fortunately for Alonso, moments of defensive uncertainty were outweighed by the quality of Palmer and co at the other end of the pitch.

This was the fourth occasion that Fulham had started a Premier League season with a London derby and they have now lost all four.

However, on the night when Arbeloa was also in a Premier League dugout for the first time - and against the man he replaced briefly at the Bernabeu earlier this year - there were plenty of positives in defeat.

Garcia, a player he recruited from his former employers over the summer made an immediate impression with some excellent movement and exhibited predatory instincts to open his account in England.

In doing so, he became the first player to score on his Premier League debut for Fulham since Chris David in May 2014 against Crystal Palace.

But the standout performer in white was King, who is still only 19, already an England Under-21 international and looks to be a star in the making.

At times, he was Fulham's driving force in midfield and was unfortunate to drag a late effort wide that might have given the home side a point.