Despite a performance that was far from their best, world champions Chelsea secured a deserved three points with a 2-0 victory over Fulham at home.
A João Pedro header in first-half stoppage time and a second-half penalty from Enzo Fernández were enough for the Blues to overcome their London rivals, who started with both Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey.
How it unfolded
Chelsea extended their unbeaten Premier League run with a 2-0 win against Fulham at Stamford Bridge, marking just one defeat in their last 12 league matches, as rumoured new signing Alejandro Garnacho watched from the stands.
Fulham posed a threat in the first half and appeared to have taken the lead when 18-year-old Josh King found the back of the net, but VAR disallowed the goal for a foul by Rodrigo Muniz. Chelsea then broke the deadlock just before the interval when João Pedro headed home from an Enzo Fernández corner.
After the break, Fulham were once again on the wrong side of a VAR decision after Trevoh Chalobah’s cross hit Ryan Sessegnon's arm, resulting in a penalty.
Fernández coolly dispatched the spot-kick, doubling Chelsea's lead and all but securing the result. The Blues had a chance to extend their advantage, but Pedro squandered a one-on-one opportunity against Bernd Leno.
Ultimately, Chelsea’s two goals were sufficient to send them temporarily to the top of the table. Fulham, on the other hand, were left frustrated by key decisions and remain in search of their first win of the season, though this was their first defeat in all competitions.