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Fulham v Chelsea team news: No Caicedo or Palestra

24 August 2026 767 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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Two Spanish head coaches make their first appearances in a Premier League dugout this evening at Craven Cottage.

Alvaro Arbeloa takes charge of Fulham for the first time in a competitive game, while Xabi Alonso does likewise for Chelsea.

Both managers, of course, spent time in charge of Real Madrid last season.

Kick-off in west London is at 20:00 BST.

TEAM NEWS

There are a few surprises on – or missing from – the Chelsea teamsheet.

Moises Caicedo and Marco Palestra were both expected to be in the Blues’ starting XI this evening but miss out.

Their absences sound precautionary:

Those two are among four changes from Chelsea’s final pre-season friendly XI against Real Sociedad.

Wesley Fofana is injured and Pedro Neto drops to the bench.

Josh Acheampong, Malo Gusto, Jorell Hato and Romeo Lavia come into the line-up.

Arbeloa goes with the same team he sent out in the Cottagers’ final warm-up match of the summer.

Gonzalo Garcia and Cesar Palacios get their Premier League debuts.

LINE-UPS

Chelsea XI: Sanchez, Acheampong, Lacroix, Colwill, Gusto, Lavia, James, Hato, Palmer, Joao Pedro, Rogers.

Subs: Penders, Chavarria, Barco, Fernandez, Neto, Gittens, Estevao, Welbeck, Quenda.

Fulham XI: Leno, Castagne, Cuenca, Bassey, Robinson, King, Berge, Iwobi, Bobb, Garcia, Palacios

Subs: Lecomte, De Gougerolles, Tete, Reed, Charles, Sessegnon, Kevin, Smith Rowe, Muniz.

LIVE GAMEWEEK PAGE + MATCH CENTRE

Caicedo Palestra

You can follow the evening’s action via the Live Gameweek page, which you can find in the all-new FPL Toolkit section.

Here you can follow the scores, watch the defensive contribution (DefCon) points roll in, see who the leading players are for xG and more as the games play out.

And there’s also the all-new Match Centre to explore.

A snapshot of this page is below; it’s basically a condensed version of the one you can find in the Members Area.

debuts
FPL Stats Centre
767 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. 3 A
    • 10 Years
    44 mins ago

    Just got 70 points without Bench Boost.

    Modest I think...

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    1. The Knights Template
      • 12 Years
      38 mins ago

      That’s a great score, don’t be modest!

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      1. 3 A
        • 10 Years
        2 mins ago

        Thanks Knights

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    2. 3 A
      • 10 Years
      38 mins ago

      At first, accusing myself because want Odegaard 6.5 besides Tzolis but cant afford him.

      Never know Sangare 5.5 will deliver better points.

      Thanks Allah.

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    3. Moon Dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 1 Year
      37 mins ago

      Amazing score.

      Catching one or two of the hauls was huge this week. (De Cuyper, Hinshelwood, Sangare, Kayode etc...)

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  2. thetommy14
    • 5 Years
    40 mins ago

    Thoughts on this WC draft?

    Raya
    VVD, Tark, Muharemovic
    Palmer, Mbeumo, Szobo, Tzolis, Sangaré
    Haaland, JP

    Steele, Konsa, Thomas, Walle Egali

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    1. bso
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      22 mins ago

      Can't you hang in there for another week mate? Could be so worth it.

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      1. thetommy14
        • 5 Years
        1 min ago

        Just tinkering to see how it would look like ahah

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    2. The Knights Template
      • 12 Years
      21 mins ago

      Looks fine, Thomas spot may be under threat with new reinforcements.

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      1. thetommy14
        • 5 Years
        1 min ago

        O’Shea then it would be

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    3. F4L
      • 11 Years
      18 mins ago

      looks good if happy with no gabriel

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      1. F4L
        • 11 Years
        11 mins ago

        *king>sangare

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  3. Moon Dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 1 Year
    39 mins ago

    What are your thoughts on Gvardiol as a footballer?

    How do you rate his quality compared to Guehi & Dias?

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    1. Jacquet of all trades, mast…
      • 6 Years
      32 mins ago

      Gvardiol > Guehi > Dias

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      1. Moon Dog
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 1 Year
        27 mins ago

        Yeah, I might be putting too much weight on Dias being named club captain.

        He's had a ton of injuries over the last couple of years. Not really been the same as a result. Great guy and terrific leader though.

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        1. Jacquet of all trades, mast…
          • 6 Years
          25 mins ago

          I dont like him and we miss Pepe in our national team

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          1. Moon Dog
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 1 Year
            23 mins ago

            Pepe is a legend. Iconic.

            I am shocked you don't like Dias though.

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            1. Jacquet of all trades, mast…
              • 6 Years
              3 mins ago

              He's a good speaker and personality wise ok . But on the pitch not that much

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  4. The Knights Template
    • 12 Years
    39 mins ago

    71pts all out, 24pt BB. Very pleased with that, ahead of the peloton. Not enough to get out the horned boasting helm, but close.

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    1. bso
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      37 mins ago

      Well done mate! Fabulous score.

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      1. The Knights Template
        • 12 Years
        21 mins ago

        I always knew you were the good panda!

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        1. bso
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          7 mins ago

          LOL...keep it up!

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    2. 3 A
      • 10 Years
      36 mins ago

      Congratulations

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    3. Moon Dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 1 Year
      36 mins ago

      Noice. Congrats knight!

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    4. Jacquet of all trades, mast…
      • 6 Years
      31 mins ago

      Well done

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    5. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      30 mins ago

      Super and enjoy 😛

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    6. Jstap94
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 2 Years
      28 mins ago

      Congrats! How do you feel about your team outside of that?

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    7. RICICLE
      • 4 Years
      24 mins ago

      Very well done KT! A mug of ale to celebrate!

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  5. F4L
    • 11 Years
    37 mins ago

    well Palmer and (P)edro saved my bacon and then some there

    never seen fulham so fluid in attack and offensive. silva was great but rigid. loved it. king/garcia have the potential to be amazing enablers. king especially, wow he ran that game.

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    1. Albrightondknight
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 mins ago

      Well done on Pedro (C). Ballsy.
      How about Gonzalo? Got him on the watchlist but didn’t see the game or highlights yet.

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    2. Albrightondknight
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      1 min ago

      Wow I am dumb. First name second name

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  6. Jstap94
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 2 Years
    29 mins ago

    My potential problems are Mbeumo, Wirtz, Isak, Bruno.

    What is the better strategy to sort these out in the coming weeks and maximise.

    1) FH3, Mbeumo -> Rogers in GW4 and Bruno and Isak to 5.5 and Haaland in GW5.
    2) -4 Bruno, Gabriel and Isak to O'Reilly, Ampadu and Haaland (TC) in GW3, Mbeumo to Palmer (c) in 4

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    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      just now

      What's your original plan? Assess Bruno and Mbeumo after the next game, would not plan for a hit at this stage.

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  7. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    29 mins ago

    Play one:
    A. DCL (BRE)
    B. Gomez (che)
    C. Ajer (lee)

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    1. RICICLE
      • 4 Years
      12 mins ago

      A

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    2. F4L
      • 11 Years
      12 mins ago

      a

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  8. RICICLE
    • 4 Years
    29 mins ago

    Hey chaps! Hope you’ve all had a decent start!

    62 points here on a BB and feel a bit meh about it, first GW and all.

    Anyway………..for GW 2

    Kinsky
    Calafiori - Muharemovic - Maguire
    Tzolis - Bruno - Mbuemo - Le Fee
    J.Pedro - Haaland - DCL
    ________________________________
    Verbruggen: Ballard: Gomez: O’Shea

    I plan to roll which I think is the sensible thing to do.

    Just wondering who to start:

    A) Ballard
    B) DCL

    Cheers gents!

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    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      9 mins ago

      It's a fine score ... DCL to play

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      1. RICICLE
        • 4 Years
        7 mins ago

        Cheers MZ!
        DCL has to be first I guess doesn’t he, reckon Fulham score against Sunderland anyway and already have Le Fee. Makes sense 🙂

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  9. thetommy14
    • 5 Years
    22 mins ago

    Tark or Lacroix?

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    1. F4L
      • 11 Years
      1 min ago

      caicedo will need to be a miracle worker to stop chelsea's defence being leaky if they play like that all season

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  10. F4L
    • 11 Years
    19 mins ago

    do you think in a world where isak doesnt take pens, he could still manage a little over 5ppg, maybe around 5.5 still. or just too much to ask

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    1. F4L
      • 11 Years
      15 mins ago

      *like he would have to average 3 open play goals every 5

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    2. Moon Dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 1 Year
      10 mins ago

      Thiago scored 22 goals last season and averaged 4.96 pts per 90.

      I can't see it. Forwards face an uphill battle in the current format.

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      1. F4L
        • 11 Years
        3 mins ago

        yeah true, its tough for strikers nowadays. i guess the only thing going for isak would be open play goals give the chance of bonus, the reduction in pen bps probably cost thiago a good 8-10 points in bonus last season.

        but yeah, more i think about isak now, the more i struggle to want to keep hold of him for long now 😐

        im not liking the look of strikers this season again. outside of pedro and haaland if you want him for captaincy. wish they let us play 3-6-1 . maybe i'll just look at 4-5-1 long term this season

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    3. Albrightondknight
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 mins ago

      Not the way he played in pre season or first game. If the old Isak comes back it would still be a maybe without pens. Kinda a non option at the price if no pens confirmed. Maybe it was just away at Newcastle thing that he didn’t take it - who knows.

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  11. OptimusBlack
    • 13 Years
    18 mins ago

    Who to play ?
    A- DCL (BRE ) H
    B- E. La Fee (FUL) H

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    1. F4L
      • 11 Years
      7 mins ago

      le fee

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    2. RICICLE
      • 4 Years
      5 mins ago

      Hi Optimus! 🙂
      Hmmm that’s easier for me as I have to play both (above), but in your case just about side with Le Fee given he’s also a one taker, shame can’t play both though.

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  12. Albrightondknight
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    7 mins ago

    250k difference between pre auto subs and post. Is this normal auto subs or it’s all the BB’s too?

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  13. Make FPL Casual Again
    • 7 Years
    5 mins ago

    Anyone watched the full Arsenal game, surely Tzolis can't match Saka, though he had more shots/kp.

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