Fulham vs Chelsea: Premier League tips & 19/2 Bet Builder

A west London derby rounds off the opening week of Premier League action as Fulham welcome neighbours Chelsea to Craven Cottage, with the Blues heading into the season with genuine title aspirations.

Two new managers will make their Premier League bows on Monday night, with the former Liverpool pair of Alvaro Arbeloa and Xabi Alonso going head-to-head for the points - but with Chelsea arriving as firm favourites, can Fulham spring a surprise in front of their own fans?

Below you'll find our detailed Fulham vs Chelsea betting preview, with Bet Builder tips, predicted lineups, and live odds.

Fulham vs Chelsea match details

• Fixture: Fulham vs Chelsea

• Competition: Premier League

• Date: Monday, August 24, 2026

• Kick-off: 20:00 BST

• Venue: Craven Cottage

• UK TV: Sky Sports

Our prediction: Fulham 0-3 Chelsea

Fulham vs Chelsea predicted lineups

Fulham

Our predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Leno / Castagne, Bassey, Cuenca, Robinson / Berge, King / Bobb, Iwobi, Palacios / Garcia

Chelsea

Our predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Sanchez / James, Lacroix, Colwill / Neto, Fernandez, Caicedo, Palestra / Palmer, Rogers / Pedro

Fulham vs Chelsea Bet Builder

Ladbrokes shares its Fulham vs Chelsea Bet Builder, which is coming in at 19/2 at the time of writing.

• Leg 1 - Over 2.5 total goals

• Leg 2 - Joao Pedro 1+ shots on target

• Leg 3 - Calvin Bassey to be shown a card

• Leg 4 - Chelsea to win

Over 2.5 total goals

We're anticipating a few goals at Craven Cottage on the first Monday-night encounter of the season, with title hopefuls Chelsea setting the tone for a prolific campaign. The exciting front three of Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro, and new man Morgan Rogers promise entertainment for the Blues, and with three of the last four meetings between these two sides delivering over 2.5 goals, we're backing it again here.

Joao Pedro 1+ shots on target

Joao Pedro obtaining the number nine shirt at Chelsea is a huge vote of confidence from his new manager, and following on from his 15-goal campaign in 2025/26, we're expecting another impressive showing. The Brazilian averaged roughly a shot on target per 90 last term, and we think he'll pick up exactly where he left off, testing Bernd Leno at least once at Craven Cottage.

Calvin Bassey to be shown a card

One of the Cottagers' main men last season, Calvin Bassey rarely missed a game in a strong Fulham campaign, and we're predicting another imposing performance from the Nigerian. The 26-year-old picked up five yellows last term, committing an average of one foul per 90, and in what should be a full-blooded opener on the banks of the Thames, he's our pick to be shown a card here.

Chelsea to win

Xabi Alonso and Chelsea will be expecting a perfect August to kickstart a memorable season, and with so much optimism bubbling around Cobham, we're expecting them to claim all three points with little fuss. New defensive additions, proven midfield class, and exciting attacking talents hitting the peak of their powers all bode very well for the Blues - and will cause Fulham insurmountable problems on Monday night.

View the latest Premier League odds here.

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All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.