Xabi Alonso’s Premier League managerial career is set to officially begin on Monday night, when Chelsea take on West London rivals Fulham at Craven Cottage, according to Football.London.

Ninety-nine days after Chelsea confirmed the appointment of Xabi Alonso as manager, he will officially begin his Blues tenure on Monday night with an away trip to West London neighbours Fulham.

After a disappointing 2025/26 season, things are looking up at Stamford Bridge. With Alonso at the helm, the mood inside Chelsea's Cobham training ground is one of excitement and anticipation.

Chelsea fans seem to be fully behind the new manager, which has been uncommon in recent years, particularly under BlueCo ownership. This moment has been anticipated for too long, but it has not truly arrived yet. Now, the critical moment is at hand.

In his pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon, Alonso inevitably revealed little about the team news or formation he might deploy at Craven Cottage. Bobby Vincent and Jake Stokes have each shared their views on how they would line up if they were wearing the Spanish coach’s iconic Adidas Predator boots.

Chelsea used a 3-4-3/3-4-2-1 formation in their win over Real Sociedad last weekend, and I’d like to see a similar setup against Fulham.

I would opt for Robert Sanchez in goal for the opening game. Penders might replace the Spanish goalkeeper over the course of the season, but for now, Sanchez should start in goal for Chelsea at Craven Cottage.

With Sadiq Fofana suspended, Reece James should play as the right-sided centre-back in a back three. He has played in this position before, and I believe he can perform excellently alongside Lacroix and Colwill.

With speculation still surrounding Enzo Fernandez’s future, I would choose him to partner Moises Caicedo in midfield. Alonso stated on Thursday that the Argentine could fill a slightly deeper role, and Monday night could be the ideal time to test this arrangement. Of course, there is also a strong possibility that he will not start. This is not only because his future is uncertain, but also because World Cup-related arrangements have meant he has had less time to train with the first team.

Pedro Neto has performed well as a right wing-back in the past, and I would consider keeping him in that position, with Pallestra on the other side. Palmer and Morgan Rogers would play either side of Joao Pedro. This is likely the best attacking trio in the entire league, or at least they have the potential to be. However, we need to see more of them in action before making a final judgment.

Alonso experimented with several interesting formations during pre-season before eventually settling on a 3-4-2-1. Thanks to the characteristics of his players, this system can also quickly switch to a back four when needed.

This formation was on full display when Chelsea beat Real Sociedad 3-1 at Stamford Bridge last weekend. It is equally strong in attack and defence, so it will be interesting to see how it performs in Monday night’s match.

Sanchez should remain in goal. If Chelsea's manager can address the Spanish goalkeeper's lapses in concentration, the team will benefit. While I'd like to see Fernandez start in midfield, I wouldn't be surprised if Alonso partnered James with Caicedo and fielded Josh Achampong at right centre-back.

Despite recent rumors about Pedro Neto's potential departure, he should start at right wing-back, with Pallestra on the left. Up front, the Chelsea manager will likely continue with the trio of Palmer, Rogers, and Joao Pedro.

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