A João Pedro header and a penalty from Enzo Fernández helped Chelsea edge past their west London rivals Fulham 2-0 in a derby defined by multiple VAR interventions on Saturday.
Fulham thought they had taken the lead in the first half through Josh King, only for the video assistant referee to overturn the goal.
The VAR review flagged a foul by Rodrigo Muniz on Trevoh Chalobah in the build-up, leaving the visitors’ fans frustrated after a lengthy pitchside check by referee Robert Jones.
Chelsea went ahead just before halftime, with Pedro continuing his strong start at Stamford Bridge.
Fernández’s corner found Pedro six yards out, and with two precise steps back, he angled his header perfectly down into the net, giving the hosts a 1-0 advantage.
The second half saw further controversy. Chelsea were awarded a penalty after a VAR review cleared Pedro of a potential foul and determined Ryan Sessegnon had handled the ball, making his body “unnaturally bigger” to block a cross. Fernández confidently converted from the spot to double Chelsea’s lead.
Earlier, Fulham had started brightly. Joachim Andersen and Alex Iwobi came close, while Chelsea were nearly caught out when Liam Delap’s shot was blocked by Andersen.
Delap’s involvement was cut short after just 13 minutes when he appeared to suffer a hamstring injury chasing a long ball.
King thought he had put Fulham ahead with a stunning solo effort, turning Tosin Adarabioyo and finishing into the corner.
However, the goal was disallowed for Muniz’s foul on Chalobah, sparking outrage from manager Marco Silva and the travelling supporters, who felt it was an accidental contact during a legitimate attempt to evade the defender.
Fulham remained a threat, with Muniz denied by Robert Sánchez and Moisés Caicedo making a crucial last-ditch tackle to prevent Timothy Castagne from scoring.
In the closing stages, Estêvão tested Bernd Leno with a low shot, and Pedro was again denied by the goalkeeper after a clear run on goal.
Chelsea held on to secure a 2-0 win, a result that showcased both Pedro’s early impact and the decisive role VAR played in shaping the outcome of this West London clash.
