Mansion Sports – With or without Liam Rosenior in the head coach’s seat, Chelsea will take part in a West London derby on Wednesday evening local time, as they make the short trip to play a Premier League 2025/2026 match against Fulham.

This match is scheduled to take place at Craven Cottage on Wednesday, 07 January 2026 at 19.30 local time.

Both neighboring teams secured draws thanks to late equalizing goals in their most recent matches, with The Blues salvaging a 1-1 result away at Manchester City after The Cottagers drew 2-2 against Liverpool.

Before this match kicks off, let us take a look at Mansion Sports’ prediction for the lineups Fulham vs Chelsea January 2026 below.

Conditions of Both Teams Ahead of the Match

Fulham 

Thanks to a very late equalizer in their most recent draw, Fulham had appeared set to suffer defeat against defending champions Liverpool when Cody Gakpo scored The Reds’ second goal.

However, the Dutch player instead experienced a moment reminiscent of Richarlison in the English capital.

Gakpo received a yellow card for celebrating by removing his shirt, an action that later became a source of mockery after Harrison Reed scored a sensational long-range goal in the 97th minute, with just one of the three touches he made during his brief appearance.

By extending their unbeaten run in the Premier League to five matches and collecting 11 points from a possible 15 during that period, Fulham, who sit in 11th place, are now only three points behind fifth-placed Chelsea. One more positive result would immediately bring them back into contention for the European places.

The absence of the Africa Cup of Nations trio, namely Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi, and Samuel Chukwueze, has not had as significant an impact on Marco Silva’s side as many may have expected.

Fulham have now scored in 11 of their 12 home matches this season, with the only goalless game occurring against league leaders Arsenal.

Nevertheless, four of Fulham’s last five meetings against local rivals Chelsea have ended in defeat, including a 2-0 loss at Stamford Bridge last August.

Overall, Fulham have managed only three victories against the FIFA Club World Cup champions throughout the Premier League era.

Chelsea

Having had little time to stabilize the team following the surprise departure of Enzo Maresca, Chelsea Under-21 coach Calum McFarlane was immediately handed his toughest test on Sunday, when Manchester City could, and perhaps should, have secured a comprehensive victory.

However, The Sky Blues paid the price for their lack of cutting edge after Tijjani Reijnders’ powerful goal.

With four minutes of second-half stoppage time already played, Enzo Fernandez scored a dramatic last-gasp equalizer that sparked huge celebrations in the away supporters’ section.

While that single point was worthy of appreciation for McFarlane and the FIFA Club World Cup holders, Chelsea come into this midweek fixture without a win in four league matches.

That situation leaves them just outside the Champions League places after 20 matches.

A three-point gap to Liverpool, combined with The Reds’ inferior goal difference, means Chelsea could realistically return to the top four with a victory in this match, whether under McFarlane or Rosenior, with the current Strasbourg coach reportedly just one step away from being officially appointed.

The incoming head coach will also need to halt a worrying away trend for the Conference League holders, who have managed just one win from their last six away matches in all competitions, and are without a victory in their last four Premier League away games.

Lineups Fulham vs Chelsea January 2026 

Fulham (3-4-2-1)

For Fulham, the Africa Cup of Nations trio of Chukwueze, Bassey, and Iwobi are still on duty with Nigeria, while Rodrigo Muniz is confirmed to have no chance of recovering from a thigh injury in time for this match.

Kenny Tete, who is dealing with a hamstring problem, Joshua King with a knee injury, and Ryan Sessegnon, who is also struggling with a hamstring issue, are all listed as doubtful.

However, Marco Silva is most likely to field the same squad that faced Liverpool, where he used a three-man defense very effectively.

Silva has little reason to change that system, although team captain Tom Cairney is expected to be replaced by Sander Berge.

Harrison Reed’s spectacular goal is not expected to be enough to earn him a starting place.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1)

From the Chelsea camp, defensive midfielder Moises Caicedo was forced to watch the match against Manchester City from the sidelines due to suspension.

However, the Ecuador international has completed his yellow card accumulation ban and is ready to return for this derby match.

Caicedo’s return could see team captain Reece James move back to the right-back position, should Malo Gusto once again be required to replace Marc Cucurella, who is suffering from a thigh injury.

Robert Sanchez, who has a muscle issue, and Wesley Fofana, who is ill, are also still doubtful.

Mykhaylo Mudryk, who is suspended, Dario Essugo with a thigh injury, Levi Colwill with a knee injury, and Romeo Lavia, who is also dealing with a thigh problem, are all confirmed to be absent. Nevertheless, Lavia is expected to return to action within the next few weeks.

Cole Palmer completed 90 minutes against Manchester City without issue, but after frequently starting throughout the congested end-of-year schedule, he could be rested for this match at Craven Cottage.

With the rivalry, the current condition of both teams, and the potential lineups set to be deployed, this match is certain to be intense and compelling.

Information on the Lineups Fulham vs Chelsea January 2026 serves as an important reference ahead of kick-off, while also adding to the excitement of watching this heated West London derby until the final whistle is blown.