Fulham vs Chelsea LIVE: Enzo Fernandez benched as Xabi Alonso kicks off tenure as Blues manager | OneFootball

Xabi Alonso kicks off his tenure as a Premier League manager with Chelsea with a London derby, as the Blues head to Craven Cottage for their season opener.

Fulham also have a new face in dugout as Alvaro Arbeloa, formerly of Real Madrid, takes charge, with the club hoping not to regress in a post-Marco Silva era.

The Blues have spent big once again this summer, headlined by the £117m signing of England international Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa, in a bid to change their fortunes after a dismal 10th-place finish last season - although the lack of European football in their campaign this time means they should be fresher than rival squads.

The signings of old heads like Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck mean this is a different Chelsea compared to previous eras - and after worrying opening performances from fellow top-four hopefuls Manchester United and Liverpool, Alonso’s men can make a statement in tonight’s fixture.