Chelsea’s form has faltered of late amid their ongoing managerial turnover – they visit Fulham having won just one of their last eight League outings. Marco Silva, then, will know that another derby upset is well within reach.
Date, kick-off time and venue
Fulham vs Chelsea is scheduled for a 7.30pm GMT kick-off on Wednesday, January 7, 2026.
The match will take place at Craven Cottage in south-west London.
Hop, skip, and a jump: Stamford Bridge is visible from Craven Cottage’s new Riverside Stand
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Where to watch Fulham vs Chelsea
TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on Sky Sports Football, with coverage starting at 6pm GMT ahead of a 7.30pm kick-off.
Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app and website.
Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog, with expert analysis from Dom Smith at the ground.
Fulham vs Chelsea team news
Chelsea have been handed a double boost ahead of this tie as McFarlane confirmed both Robert Sanchez and Marc Cucurella would be available for selection.
Stalwart left-back Cucurella has been absent since Chelsea’s defeat by Aston Villa with a hamstring problem, while Sanchez missed the Man City draw with a minor, unspecified muscle injury.
Moises Caicedo is available for selection again having served a one-match suspension for accumulating too many yellow cards.
On the trio, McFarlane said on Tuesday: “Yes, [Cucurella, Sanchez, and Caicedo] are all training today. We’re training in a few hours, they will all take part and then we’ll have a better idea [on availability] after the session.”
Calum McFarlane will lead Chelsea at Craven Cottage after holding Pep Guardiola’s Man City to a draw on his managerial debut
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Wesley Fofana also missed out at the Etihad with a fever, and will be assessed ahead of the match. McFarlane added: “In terms of Wesley Fofana, he will be checked this (Tuesday) morning. The lads are reporting [to Cobham] shortly, so he will be checked upon arrival and we will see if he can train.”
Silva cannot call upon Muniz as he recovers from a thigh injury, with the same true of Kenny Tete.
Super Eagles: Three members of Marco Silva’s squad are representing Nigeria at AFCON
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Ryan Sessegnon has returned to training after recovering from a thigh injury of his own, but it remains unclear whether he will be available for Chelsea’s visit.
Fulham vs Chelsea prediction
Chelsea remain something of an unknown quantity under McFarlane’s interim leadership, but the squad proved against City that they have not let their standards slip.
With incoming manager Rosenior watching on from the stands, those Blues on the pitch will be keen to impress and snap their winless run. With key players returning from injury and Fulham dealing with several absentees, the cards seem stacked in Chelsea’s favour.
While it is true that Fulham are in fine form, this revitalised Chelsea side will take some beating as they embark on a new era.
Head to head (h2h) history and results
Chelsea have come out on top in four of the last five editions of this west London derby, and won 2-0 at Stamford Bridge earlier this season after goals from Joao Pedro and Enzo Fernandez.
On target: Enzo Fernandez scored from the spot as Chelsea beat Fulham back in August
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Fulham vs Chelsea match odds
Odds via Betfair (subject to change).
