Rise of a Football God

(Premier league:)

(Matchday 33 of 38:)

(Leicester – Liverpool)

(Date: 19th April, 2025)

…

(Fulham – Chelsea)

(Date: 19th April, 2025)

Premier league football matched onward to matchday 33 even as Liverpool and Fulham's head-to-head battle at the top of the premier league table continued.

And on this matchday, Fulham faced a mighty challenge.

They said Fulham was in the title race, right? Well, once again, they met a challenge to prove their credentials against another formidable premier league team that was close to the top of the table in Chelsea.

Having rose back to 3rd position in the league table, this was a formidable team that was still in form, Fulham's first real challenge in the head-to-head battle against Liverpool.

Before Fulham got to prove their credentials in the top of the table clash, Liverpool played their game against Leicester City first.

It was an away game for Liverpool but the Liverpool players entered this game with 0 doubts and once the game started, they proved their credentials which was the basis for their confidence.

Leicester City started with a strong lineup against Liverpool, but still, they didn't have what it took at the highest level against the Merseysiders at home.

Liverpool played a comfortable game from beginning to the end, winning 0-2 courtesy of goals from Trent Alexander-Arnold and the Argentine midfielder, Alexis Mac Allister.

With Liverpool winning their game, the pressure was on Fulham to win theirs and keep the pressure at the top.

This game was extremely pivotal to the West London club. If they lost, they would have officially lost the premier league title race against Liverpool.

When the time came, the Fulham players gave their neighbors from across town a sufficiently hostile welcome to Craven Cottage.

Like expected, both teams started with their strongest lineups.

Fulham made no changes to their previous lineup. As for Chelsea, they started with a formidable lineup in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation.

Renato Sanchez started in between the posts for the Blues, while their quadruple defense comprised Marc Cucurella in left back, Levi Colwill and Acheampong in center defense, and Malo Gusto in right back.

The midfield duo comprised of Moses Caicedo and the world-cup winning Argentine midfielder, Enzo Fernandez.

The 4-man attack up front comprised of Jadon Sancho, Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto, and Nicolas Jackson who started as the striker.

FWEEEE!

From the first whistle, despite the hostile atmosphere that was created by the home supporters, Chelsea showed their mettle this game, playing with aggressive genius as they took the game to Fulham.

Fulham were playing at an elite level, motivated to win but Chelsea matched their energy, playing an exciting end to end game with the home side.

With the likes of Jadon Sancho, Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandex, and even Nicolas Jackson today who showed up for the Blues, they played exciting attacking football as they utilized all the weapons in their arsenal.

Marc Cucurella was also electric as his tricky overlapping runs aided Jadon Sancho's case in attack, repeatedly leaving Castagne confounded in right back.

The Fulham right back was being violated by his opponents.

Even as Chelsea dominated in attack when they had the ball, Fulham also dominated in the same way, just in a different pattern and style.

Whenever the ball got to Sam in midfield, the whole Chelsea team was left tracking back in trepidation, dreading the threat posed by him.

And in this game, Moses Caicedo was tasked to man-mark Sam, limiting his effect this game. But still, the Chelsea team felt trepidations anytime that the ball got to him because he already proved countless times that he could create anything from nothing.

Last time out, Liverpool relaxed, thinking they already boxed him in when he created an easy goal out of nowhere for Muniz to score.

Despite being man-marked, Sam fought with gusto, relishing the challenge posed by the stalwart Moses Caicedo.

And with Emile Smith Rowe repeatedly drifting close to him to help him out, the S factor shone in this game, leading to some exciting string of plays that left the fans in the stands rising to their feet and gasping in awe.

Despite the attacking play this game, somehow, the defense of both teams held as they played an extremely tight game.

Cole Palmer came closest, hitting the post twice in the first half alone.

And against all odds, the first half came to an end with the game level 0-0.

In half-time, Coach Marco Silva had a little talk with his players.

"It's the moment of truth guys".

"It's now or never".

"We won't have this fixture again this season. We either do it and grab glory out there, or we bow out in defeat".

"If we draw this game, that is bowing out in defeat against Liverpool".

"I believe we can do it".

"Let's go out there and do it".

The Fulham coach didn't roar aggressively at his players, trying to rile them up, he simply said those few words in a calm tone, resonating with them.

He was right, it was now or never.

This was their time to chase glory or lose it. The Fulham players entered the 2nd half of this game with this mentality and with it, they dominated.

Chelsea still fought valiantly but Fulham was the clear superior side in the second half as they all fought like a team, utilizing all the weapon in their repertoires to try breaking down this tough Chelsea side.

50 minutes, 0-0…

60 minutes, 0-0…

70 minutes, 0-0…

80 minutes, 0-0…

85 minutes, 0-0…

And then it happened in the 88th minute of the game.

After running all day-long already to no avail, Antonee Robinson dug in again, going on an overlapping run down the left side of the pitch as he tapped into his stamina reserves, pushing himself to the limit.

Combining with Alex Iwobi down the left side, exchanging one-two passes, he penetrated into the Chelsea 18-yard box and that was where panicking, Levi Colwill, the Chelsea center back made a blunder, taking him down in the box.

FWEEEE!

The referee's whistle sounded as he instantly pointed to the spot.

It was a penalty to Fulham!

At some point, Muniz already replaced Raul Jimenez in this game and in this tense moment of truth, the striker stepped up to take the penalty kick.

Despite Renato Sanchez's antics, Muniz stayed calm, playing a cool Panenka penalty kick straight down the middle as the Chelsea goalkeeper dived to the right side, missing the ball entirely.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLL…!!!" Craven Cottage erupted.

Charging to the corner flag, Rodrigo Muniz slid on his knees, celebrating his goal exuberantly even as his teammates swarmed him, prompting the commentator to wax lyrical about the sheer importance of that goal to Fulham's season even as the Chelsea players deflated.
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The Chelsea defenders collapsed on the pitch, exhausted.

In the end, that goal was the difference between victory and defeat, Fulham won 1-0 against Chelsea at home, grabbing an all-important 3 points.

The head-to-head battle against Liverpool was still on!