Chelsea
VAR Dominates as Chelsea Edge Fulham 2-0 and Face Striker Concerns
VAR controversies, a Delap hamstring, and João Pedro’s form define Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Fulham. More
Chelsea left Stamford Bridge unbeaten ahead of the September international break after a 2-0 victory over west London neighbours Fulham, but the match offered as many questions as answers for Enzo Maresca.
Video assistant referee intervention shaped large portions of the contest. Chelsea teenager Joshua King had a well-taken opener ruled out after the VAR instructed referee Rob Jones to review an incident in the build-up. There was lengthy deliberation over Rodrigo Muniz’s perceived foul on Trevoh Chalobah, and a slow-motion replay prompted Jones to describe Muniz’s infringement as “careless” when explaining his decision.
On the same sequence of decisions, Fulham manager Marco Silva was visibly furious and sought an explanation at half-time. There was also contention around Chelsea’s second goal, with referee Jones seemingly overlooking João Pedro’s handball in the build-up to Ryan Sessegnon’s penalised handball, which stopped Chalobah’s cross. The time taken to reach those conclusions and the frequency of interventions left the game feeling strained by the technology.
Player welfare emerged as another concern after Liam Delap suffered a hamstring problem just 15 minutes into the match. The striker clutched his left hamstring, attempted to walk it off, then sat on the turf before being withdrawn. Chelsea will hope he recovers during the international break, because options up front are limited.
Tyrique George replaced Delap and was asked to operate as a centre forward. George has been linked with a late move in the window, but Delap’s injury and George’s ability to fill in as a No. 9 suggest Chelsea may keep the Cobham graduate. The club have parted ways with Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku has joined AC Milan. Given how much they’ve spent since BlueCo got involved, it is notable how thin the striker depth chart looks.
João Pedro grew into the game and finished the first half with a headed goal from Fernández’s corner. He has recorded four goal contributions through three league outings this term and is now one of four players to score at least five goals in their first five Chelsea games. With Delap sidelined and Cole Palmer due back after the break, Pedro is likely to lead the line.
Chelsea
Robert Sánchez escaped injury after Ferrari crash at the Nürburgring
Robert Sánchez was unhurt after his Ferrari was badly damaged in a crash at the Nürburgring.
Robert Sánchez was not injured after his Ferrari was badly damaged in a crash at the Nürburgring on Monday.
The incident left his Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo, valued at around $400k, heavily damaged and facing a costly repair bill. Chelsea confirmed that Sánchez, 28, was not driving when the crash happened.
According to the report, a friend had taken the car for a test lap shortly before the goalkeeper was due to drive on the same circuit. Sánchez was at the Nürburgring as part of one of the tourist sessions, where members of the public can pay to take their own vehicles around the famous track, known as the Green Hell.
A British tourist driving behind the Ferrari told The Sun that the car appeared to enter the corner too quickly before striking the barrier.
“He slammed into the corner and the track immediately got red flagged,” the witness is quoted as saying. “It’s a banked corner that goes on more than 180 degrees and he clearly had put too much gas on and drove straight into the barrier.
“The front of the Ferrari was completely demolished and parts were sprayed all over the track.
“We had to drive through the wreckage to get out.”
The witness also said it took an hour to clear the debris, and described the car, which carried Sánchez’s name, as “completely ruined.” Photographs from the scene showed the black and purple supercar with a smashed front end and plastic bags filled with broken parts.
Sánchez, who is on loan at Cesc Fàbregas’ Como this season, was later seen at Belgium’s Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, although he was reportedly only watching rather than driving there.
Chelsea
Ngumoha explains why Liverpool move was an easy call after Chelsea exit
Ngumoha says Liverpool offered him a clearer route to first-team football than Chelsea ever could.
Rio Ngumoha has described his switch from Chelsea to Liverpool as an obvious decision, saying the promise of a clearer route to first-team football made the move straightforward.
Chelsea were frustrated to lose a highly rated youngster, with Liverpool eventually paying a minimum of $3.7 million after a tribunal. But for Ngumoha, the attraction of a defined pathway at Anfield outweighed everything else.
“I feel like I needed a new challenge,” Ngumoha told The Guardian. “Liverpool gave me a new pathway. The plan that they set for me was straightforward. It was a no-brainer. They just said if I prove myself then they know that I would definitely be a star for them in the making.”
The 18-year-old has already begun to justify that faith. After making his debut in the 2024-25 season, he went on to feature 29 times the following campaign, a year highlighted by a late winner against Newcastle United in the Premier League.
Arne Slot provided the platform for his breakthrough, and Ngumoha is now benefiting from fresh leadership. Andoni Iraola has given him regular starts and useful minutes from the bench, with the forward generally impressing and adding two assists.
Ngumoha also sees the Ballon d’Or as a realistic target in the future, helped by the wider impact of Harry Kane’s success. “Harry Kane winning the Ballon d’Or is definitely a big thing,” said the teenager. “It’s also helped English football now because everyone’s seen one of us win the Ballon d’Or , it is definitely encouraging many more people to want to be known as the best player in the world.
“For me, I would like to achieve it and I think I can do it.”
He will have the chance to discuss that ambition with Kane during the current international break, after being named once more in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad.
Ngumoha’s departure also reflects a familiar pattern. Chelsea’s habit of collecting elite young talent has often led to players seeking opportunities elsewhere, and he joins the likes of Marc Guéhi, Lewis Hall, Tino Livramento and Michael Olise in leaving Stamford Bridge in search of a clearer route to senior soccer.
Even so, Chelsea’s approach has not changed. Last summer they spent $167 million on four players aged 22 or under, yet minutes have remained hard to find. Dastan Satpayev has already gone on loan, while Geovany Quenda, Marco Palestra and Valentín Barco have managed only four Premier League starts between them.
Borussia Dortmund
Five Possible Moves for Estêvão, Ranked
Estêvão is short of minutes at Chelsea, and several major clubs could enter the picture.
Estêvão’s place in Xabi Alonso’s plans appears secure in theory, but the evidence on the pitch has told a different story. The Brazilian youngster has found minutes hard to come by in a system built around a back three and wingbacks, which has left little space for wide forwards. He was even left on the bench when Chelsea exited the Carabao Cup on penalties to Liverpool last month.
There was a reminder of what he can offer when Alonso shifted to a 4-2-3-1 for the recent win over Manchester United. Estêvão started on the right and produced a strong display. Yet that momentum did not last, with another formation change ahead of the defeat to Sunderland before the international break sending him back to the bench.
BBC Sport reported in September that Estêvão was among a small group of “untouchable” Chelsea players, alongside Moisés Caicedo, Cole Palmer and João Pedro. Even so, a player of his ability, and one who has long attracted attention, could eventually begin to look elsewhere if the current situation does not improve.
If that point arrives, several destinations could enter the picture.
Paris Saint-Germain remain a logical name in any discussion of elite attacking talent, particularly after their summer reshuffle. But with Lee Kang-in, Bradley Barcola and Gonçalo Ramos already moved on, and with Maghnes Akliouche, Ferran Torres and Mika Godts arriving, they are more likely to trust their current options. They have also been hit by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s ACL tear, though Luis Enrique still has plenty to work with.
Liverpool is another obvious possibility. After Mohamed Salah’s departure in the summer, Andoni Iraola has used Bradley Barcola, Cody Gakpo and Rio Ngumoha on the right wing, but that position may still need greater certainty. A Chelsea sale to a Premier League rival would be difficult to imagine, yet the financial logic is there.
Borussia Dortmund, meanwhile, would make sense only if the situation worsened and Chelsea agreed to a loan in January. They may not be as imposing as they once were, but the club still has a reputation for developing talent. Estêvão may not be the ideal Niko Kovać wide player, but Dortmund would be one to watch if temporary respite becomes the next step.
