Chelsea’s Joao Felix walks off the pitch after receiving a purple card on his Premier League debut towards Fulham on January 12, 2023
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Chelsea’s Joao Felix endured a nightmare debut when he was despatched off in a 2-1 Premier League defeat at native rivals Fulham on Thursday to extend the strain on supervisor Graham Potter.
The Portugal ahead seemed sharp someday after finishing a mortgage transfer from Atletico Madrid however he was proven a straight purple card within the 58th minute for a reckless deal with on Fulham defender Kenny Tete when the rating was 1-1.
Fulham made the many of the man benefit when Brazilian ahead Carlos Vinicius, standing in for the membership’s suspended high scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic, put the hosts again in entrance within the 73rd minute with a intelligent header.
Willian scores towards Chelsea
Former Chelsea winger Willian had put Marco Silva’s facet in entrance within the first half with a deflected shot however Potter’s group levelled early within the second half by way of a scrappy objective from shut vary by defender Kalidou Koulibaly.
Willian of Fulham refuses to rejoice after scoring the primary objective of the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Chelsea FC at Craven Cottage on January 12, 2023
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Getty Photographs
Kai Havertz had a late likelihood to equalise with a stinging effort however Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno was equal to it and Marco Silva’s facet held on to document their first league victory over Chelsea in 17 years.
The win lifted Fulham above Liverpool and as much as sixth within the Premier League standings on 31 factors after 19 video games.
Chelsea at tenth on PL desk
Chelsea, who fell to their eighth league defeat this season and third consecutive loss in all competitions, are tenth within the desk on 25 factors from 18 matches.
“We began properly, we had a extremely good likelihood early however then errors result in their objective, we responded properly after which the purple card adjustments the sport and makes it tougher for us,” Potter advised BT Sport.
“We might do higher with the objective and that is what value us.”
Potter had no complaints in regards to the purple card, describing Felix’s problem on Tete as a “ahead’s deal with”.
Fulham supervisor Marco Silva was comfortable together with his group’s resilience. “Delighted with the outcome, happy with the primary half. The second half wasn’t at our greatest degree,” he stated.
“The nice factor we are able to take as a bunch, even within the second half we did not carry out at our greatest and we’re in a position to win a soccer match towards a high facet even when they’re on a nasty run.”
Felix full of life
Potter’s facet had been humbled 4-0 by Manchester Metropolis within the FA Cup on Sunday however made a optimistic begin at Craven Cottage, with Felix trying full of life. He reduce by way of Fulham’s left hand facet to tee up Lewis Corridor within the space however the shot was saved by Leno.
Felix had two makes an attempt on objective however Fulham went forward with the assistance of two defensive mishaps from Chelsea, Corridor gifting away possession and Trevor Chalobah deflecting Willian’s shot into the online.
Chelsea confirmed character to rapidly reply after the break, Koulibaly pouncing on the rebound after Leno had turned away a shot from Mason Mount.
They misplaced midfielder Denis Zakaria to damage, nonetheless, and Felix to a purple card, the 23-year-old wildly lunging at Tete after shedding the ball.
Felix, whose mortgage signing value Chelsea a reported 9 million kilos ($11 million), will miss the subsequent three league matches towards Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Fulham as a result of suspension.
