Fulham handed Chelsea another damaging Premier League setback with a 2-1 victory at Craven Cottage on Wednesday night, as incoming head coach Liam Rosenior looked on from the stands.
The visitors’ task was made significantly harder in the 22nd minute when Marc Cucurella was shown a straight red card for hauling down Harry Wilson in what the referee judged to be a professional foul.
The early dismissal left caretaker boss Calum McFarlane grappling with damage control for most of the contest.
After a tight first half, Fulham broke the deadlock 10 minutes into the second period. Raul Jimenez reacted quickest in the box to nod home from close range, giving the hosts a deserved lead.
Chelsea hit back almost immediately, however, as Liam Delap bundled in the equaliser after the ball rebounded off the post from a corner.
Despite being a man down, Chelsea pressed forward in search of a winner, but their resistance was broken late on. With nine minutes remaining, Harry Wilson punished a defensive error, showing fine control before firing a crisp volley beyond Robert Sanchez to restore Fulham’s advantage.
The victory lifts Fulham to 31 points and strengthens their hold on a top-half position, while Chelsea remain eighth, trailing Brentford in the standings.
Tensions among the away supporters spilled into the stands, with “BlueCo out” banners and chants aimed at the club’s ownership.
Cucurella’s sending-off also underlined Chelsea’s ongoing discipline problems, marking their eighth red card of the campaign, following a previous dismissal suffered by former head coach Enzo Maresca.
As Rosenior prepares to officially take charge, Chelsea face mounting pressure to steady their season amid suspensions, injuries and increasing unrest off the pitch.
