Fulham end 45-year curse at Chelsea with late Muniz strike; Newcastle overpower 10-man Aston Villa

The victory is Fulham’s first success at Stamford Bridge since 1979 and deals a significant blow to Chelsea’s Premier League title aspirations.

The match began in cagey fashion but burst into life after 15 minutes when Chelsea’s talisman Cole Palmer delivered a moment of brilliance. The 22-year-old weaved past three Fulham defenders before coolly slotting past Bernd Leno to give the Blues an early lead.

Fulham responded with flashes of promise, notably through Calvin Bassey, whose solo effort was thwarted by a fine Robert Sánchez save.

Chelsea dominated much of the first half, with Malo Gusto and Enzo Fernández forcing Leno into impressive stops. Levi Colwill thought he had doubled the lead early in the second half, only for his goal to be ruled offside.

Despite Chelsea’s control, Fulham found joy on the counter. Their persistence paid off in the 81st minute when Alex Iwobi set up Harry Wilson for a close-range header to equalize. The goal sparked jubilation among the away fans and set the stage for a thrilling finale.

Deep into stoppage time, Fulham broke Chelsea’s hearts. Sasa Lukic’s pinpoint cross found Muniz at the back post, and the Brazilian made no mistake, calmly tucking the ball into the net to seal a famous victory.

The win lifts Fulham to eighth place in the Premier League, while Chelsea face another setback in their faltering title challenge.

Meanwhile, Newcastle United’s impressive form continued with a commanding 3-0 victory over Aston Villa, who played an hour with ten men after Jhon Duran’s controversial red card.

The result is Newcastle’s fourth consecutive Premier League win, propelling them to fifth place, while Villa’s struggles on the road extended to five straight defeats.

The hosts seized control within 80 seconds when Anthony Gordon curled a stunning strike into the top corner after a fluid build-up involving Bruno Guimarães and Joelinton. Villa, stunned by the early setback, gradually found their footing, with Lucas Digne and Fabian Schär trading long-range free-kick attempts.

The match turned on its head in the 32nd minute when Duran was sent off for an apparent stamp on Schär during a midfield tussle. The Colombian forward’s dismissal, upheld by VAR, left Villa with an uphill battle.

Newcastle capitalised on their numerical advantage immediately, dominating possession and creating a flurry of chances.

Joelinton and Sandro Tonali came close to doubling the lead before the break, but Emi Martínez produced a series of fine saves to keep Villa in the contest.

The Magpies eventually made their dominance count in the second half. Alexander Isak tapped in Jacob Murphy’s low cross for his 12th goal of the season, effectively sealing the win. Murphy later struck the bar as Newcastle threatened to pile on further misery.

Villa, to their credit, fought valiantly to limit the damage. Pau Torres headed narrowly over in a rare late chance, while Schär almost turned the ball into his own net. However, Joelinton’s injury-time strike confirmed a resounding victory for Newcastle, extending Villa’s dismal record at St. James’ Park.

Rodrigo Muniz’s dramatic 95th-minute winner completed a stunning comeback as Fulham triumphed 2-1 at Stamford Bridge, ending Chelsea’s 13-match unbeaten run across all competitions, Soccernet.football reports.

The victory is Fulham’s first success at Stamford Bridge since 1979 and deals a significant blow to Chelsea’s Premier League title aspirations.

The match began in cagey fashion but burst into life after 15 minutes when Chelsea’s talisman Cole Palmer delivered a moment of brilliance. The 22-year-old weaved past three Fulham defenders before coolly slotting past Bernd Leno to give the Blues an early lead.

Fulham responded with flashes of promise, notably through Calvin Bassey, whose solo effort was thwarted by a fine Robert Sánchez save.

Chelsea dominated much of the first half, with Malo Gusto and Enzo Fernández forcing Leno into impressive stops. Levi Colwill thought he had doubled the lead early in the second half, only for his goal to be ruled offside.

Despite Chelsea’s control, Fulham found joy on the counter. Their persistence paid off in the 81st minute when Alex Iwobi set up Harry Wilson for a close-range header to equalize. The goal sparked jubilation among the away fans and set the stage for a thrilling finale.

Deep into stoppage time, Fulham broke Chelsea’s hearts. Sasa Lukic’s pinpoint cross found Muniz at the back post, and the Brazilian made no mistake, calmly tucking the ball into the net to seal a famous victory.

The win lifts Fulham to eighth place in the Premier League, while Chelsea face another setback in their faltering title challenge.

Meanwhile, Newcastle United’s impressive form continued with a commanding 3-0 victory over Aston Villa, who played an hour with ten men after Jhon Duran’s controversial red card.

The result is Newcastle’s fourth consecutive Premier League win, propelling them to fifth place, while Villa’s struggles on the road extended to five straight defeats.

The hosts seized control within 80 seconds when Anthony Gordon curled a stunning strike into the top corner after a fluid build-up involving Bruno Guimarães and Joelinton. Villa, stunned by the early setback, gradually found their footing, with Lucas Digne and Fabian Schär trading long-range free-kick attempts.

The match turned on its head in the 32nd minute when Duran was sent off for an apparent stamp on Schär during a midfield tussle. The Colombian forward’s dismissal, upheld by VAR, left Villa with an uphill battle.

Newcastle capitalised on their numerical advantage immediately, dominating possession and creating a flurry of chances.

Joelinton and Sandro Tonali came close to doubling the lead before the break, but Emi Martínez produced a series of fine saves to keep Villa in the contest.

The Magpies eventually made their dominance count in the second half. Alexander Isak tapped in Jacob Murphy’s low cross for his 12th goal of the season, effectively sealing the win. Murphy later struck the bar as Newcastle threatened to pile on further misery.

Villa, to their credit, fought valiantly to limit the damage. Pau Torres headed narrowly over in a rare late chance, while Schär almost turned the ball into his own net. However, Joelinton’s injury-time strike confirmed a resounding victory for Newcastle, extending Villa’s dismal record at St. James’ Park.