Super Eagles duo Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi were both in action for Fulham as they began their 2026/27 Premier League campaign with a narrow 3-2 defeat to Chelsea.
The Cottagers began their campaign under former Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa on a disappointing note as they suffered defeat at Craven Cottage against their West London rivals on Monday night.
Chelsea took the lead after just 31 seconds when Joao Pedro finished after receiving a good pass from Cole Palmer.
Fulham responded well and drew level in the 23rd minute through Josh King, although Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez could have done much better to prevent the equaliser.
Cole Palmer of Chelsea. Picture credit: ImagoxPaul TerryxSportimage
Morgan Rogers restored Chelsea’s lead before the break, while Palmer extended the Blues’ advantage four minutes after the restart.
Gonzalo Garcia pulled one back for the home side to make it 3-2 after another mistake from Sanchez, but Chelsea held on to secure all three points and leave the Cottagers with a defeat in their opening league game.
Despite the disappointing result, there were some encouraging signs from Bassey and Iwobi, although both Super Eagles stars will be hoping to produce even better performances as the season progresses.
Bassey set for long-term and leadership role at Fulham
The summer was dominated by questions over Bassey’s future at Fulham, with the Nigerian defender entering the final year of his contract and attracting interest from Italian giants Inter Milan.
The Cottagers pursued Trabzonspor defender Chibuike Nwaiwu as a potential replacement, although it now appears he could remain with the Turkish club. The Cottagers also lost Issa Diop this summer, making Bassey’s role in the squad even more important.
Against Chelsea, Bassey was handed the captain’s armband for the first time in his career. He became the first Nigerian player to captain Fulham since Wilfred Ndidi did so for Leicester City in February 2023.
Although Fulham conceded three goals, Bassey put in a solid individual display and showed signs that he could play an important leadership role for the club.
The defender had 104 touches of the ball, the most of any player in the match, and covered one of the highest distances among Fulham players.
Bassey also had to operate in an unfamiliar right centre-back position, making his performance even more encouraging despite some of Fulham’s defensive weaknesses.
Iwobi shows his importance to Fulham’s midfield
Iwobi once again showed why he remains an important player for Fulham, starting alongside Sander Berge in the middle of the park and displaying his quality in possession.
The Nigerian completed the most passes of any player in the match, making 83 passes with an impressive 90%Â accuracy.
He also recorded 103 touches, the second-highest total in the game behind Bassey, showing how heavily Fulham relied on him to progress the ball and control possession.
Iwobi also made 10 defensive contributions and his performance could strengthen his case for a prominent role in Arbeloa’s new-look Fulham side, especially if the manager continues to use him in a deeper midfield position.
Both Bassey and Iwobi will now be hoping to build on their individual performances and help Fulham secure their first victory of the new campaign.
The Cottagers will face AFC Wimbledon in the EFL Cup on Thursday before returning to Premier League action against Sunderland.
