Alvaro Arbeloa's first competitive match as Fulham manager is just hours away, but one thing is already clear: Tom Cairney will not be in the squad to face Xabi Alonso's Chelsea on Monday night.
Tom Cairney is the only player Arbeloa has ruled out entirely, the captain still working back from a minor knee procedure carried out earlier this month; Arbeloa suggested he may not be available again until after the first international break.
Fulham's team is reworked after the exits of Harry Wilson and Raúl Jiménez, and Arbeloa has leaned on his Real Madrid contacts to freshen the attack, bringing in Gonzalo García and César Palacios. Both are candidates to start the season in his first XI.
The absence of Tom Cairney is significant, as he's the captain and a key player for Fulham. His injury will be closely watched, especially with the upcoming international break.
Joachim Andersen also misses the opener, serving the final match of a suspension for a two-footed lunge on a Bournemouth player in May. This leaves Fulham short of recognised cover at right centre-back beyond Canada international Luc de Fougerolles, who has yet to make his Premier League debut.
Gonzalo García and César Palacios are likely to start together in attack on their competitive debuts, with Palacios taking one of the three attacking-midfield berths behind García. Josh King is picked ahead of Emile Smith Rowe alongside Oscar Bobb.
The match kicks off at 20:00 BST on Monday, 24 August 2026, and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK. Chelsea will be looking to make a strong statement under their new manager, while Fulham will be eager to get off to a good start under Arbeloa.
As Chelsea look to build on their preseason form, they'll be without their own key players, including some of the regulars who have been missing in action due to injuries. The Blues will have to rely on their younger players and squad members to step up to the challenge.
Source: Yahoo Sports
