Ten-man Chelsea were made to pay for their ill discipline once again as Harry Wilson continued his fine form to win the match for Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Marc Cucurella was shown a straight red card on 22 minutes for bringing down Wilson, who was running in on goal. Fulham thought they took the lead towards the end of the first-half with Wilson, who caused Chelsea problems throughout the evening, finding the bottom corner. Raul Jimenez, however, was offside in the build-up after VAR intervened.
The hosts, though, took the lead not too long into the second period through Jimenez. A fine ball into the box was met by the powerful Mexican, who headed past Robert Sanchez into the bottom corner, leaving Chelsea with it all to do in west London.
It took until the 72nd minute before the Blues were level. After Antonee Robinson headed against his own crossbar, Delap was alive in the box to strike home the rebound.
It did not last long. Wilson, with a fine piece of skill, rounded Jorrel Hato before slotting past Sanchez into the bottom corner to give Fulham the three points.
football.london's Chelsea correspondent Bobby Vincent assesses the action from Craven Cottage...
Immature Blues punishedChelsea were so close to taking the lead on around 20 minutes. Andrey Santos' header from a corner hit the crossbar and Moises Caicedo followed it up, only to see his low strike blocked on the line by Sander Berge.
Santos, though, was sacrificed later in the half with Hato coming on to fill the hole left by Cucurella's sending off. The Spaniard yanked Wilson to the ground when he was clean through on goal and put his side at a major disadvantage at Craven Cottage.
Fulham thought they took the lead just before the half-time break through Wilson but Jimenez, after a VAR check, was adjudged to be offside in the build-up. Chelsea breathed a sigh of relief walking down the tunnel.
It was Jimenez that ended up giving the home side the lead not too long into the second-half. The Mexican striker thumped a header beyond Sanchez and into the bottom corner.
Delap was the hero for Chelsea on 72 minutes. The 22-year-old striker, on his 12th Premier League appearance, struck his first goal in the competition to ensure the points were shared on the night.
Rosenior's biggest problemRosenior was appointed on Tuesday as the club's new head coach on a long-term contract but McFarlane handled the responsibility of leading the side on Wednesday evening. Instead, Rosenior watched on from the stands at a bitterly cold Craven Cottage, sitting alongside club chiefs such as Behdad Eghbali (co-owner), Paul Winstanley (sporting director), Laurence Stewart (sporting director), Joe Shields (co-director of recruitment and talent) and Sam Jewell (director of global recruitment).
The 41-year-old arrived on the team bus with his new players as he looks to build a connection right from the off. He also conducted a pre-match interview with Sky Sports, but it was McFarlane who handled the typical media duties on matchday. Before kick-off, Rosenior even made time to take a few selfies with some lucky Chelsea supporters in the away end.
Rosenior, though, got a taste of what needs to be improved in the Blues squad. Their discipline. Enzo Maresca consistently played down there being a discipline problem within the squad but it is simply unavoidable.
Cucurella fouled Wilson when the Welshman was clean through on goal and referee Peter Bankes did not hesitate in showing the Spaniard a red card. It looked a sending off, but those in blue did not agree. Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez and Tosin Adarabioyo were all booked in the aftermath for dissent.
Chelsea's seventh red card of the season. Their fifth in the Premier League. The Blues have received more than twice as many red cards in the Premier League as any other team this season.
There is a sense of immaturity in the squad that needs to be eradicated. Rosenior should know all about that - and if he didn't, he does now.
