Alvaro Arbeloa has insisted that for 90 minutes, he and Xabi Alonso "are not friends" as Fulham prepare to face Chelsea in their opening Premier League game of the season.Chelsea make the trip to Craven Cottage on Monday, and it will see Arbeloa and Alonso reunite, with the duo having spent time together at Liverpool and Real Madrid.This will be both Arbeloa and Alonso's first Premier League match as managers. The pair played 46 league games alongside one another for Liverpool from 2007 to 2009, losing just four of those (W28 D14). It is the first time that any manager's first Premier League game has come against another manager he was a team-mate of as a player in the competition.The pair also split the Madrid coaching job between them last season. Alonso was dismissed in January, with Arbeloa taking over for the rest of the campaign.Now, they will do battle in the Premier League. Arbeloa and Alonso will be the 10th and 11th managers to take charge of a specific Premier League side for the first time this matchday, the outright most on MD1 in a single campaign (excluding 1992-93) in the competition’s history (previously nine in 2012-13 and 2016-17)."We analysed Chelsea, the way we do every team. I know him well because I watched so many of his games, but we know it won't be easy," Arbeloa said."They're a very strong squad with top players. They have made good signings. We have to be ready."When asked if he had spoken to Alonso before the match, Arbeloa added: "A few days ago, but we didn't talk about football. Our families are coming over to London."We are very good friends. For 90 minutes we will give everything for our clubs. For 90 minutes we are not friends. We both want to win that game."Tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/D9uomm2tdD— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) August 23, 2026Chelsea are aiming to improve on a dismal Premier League campaign in 2025-26 that saw them finish 10th and miss out on a spot in any European competition this season. There have been 11 new signings at Stamford Bridge, including the big-money acquisitions of Morgan Rogers and Maxence Lacroix, while the experienced duo of Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson have also arrived. Alonso acknowledged the difficulty of the task ahead of him, but he believes the squad he has assembled is in a good position to start the campaign."It's a challenge for everyone. We are all together in this new start of the season but the main thing for me are the targets and goals that we share all together," Alonso said. "We have the ambition to have a great year. We don't need to think about what's going to happen late in the season."What we can control is what we do, how we start the season, how we prepare for games. The focus is Fulham. The Premier League is challenging; every game is challenging."We are going to be improving game by game. I am sure that the team that starts the Premier League and the one that's in November, December, will be better because it's a process, everything takes time. But we feel that we have a good start and that's so important."PLAYERS TO WATCHFulham – Shea CharlesAfter becoming the most expensive Northern Irish player of all time following his switch from Southampton, Charles could get the chance to make his Premier League debut.During his time at St. Mary's, Charles made 76 appearances across all competitions, scoring six goals as well as providing two assists for his team-mates. Chelsea – Danny WelbeckNew Chelsea signing Welbeck is set to feature in his 19th Premier League season, playing at least once in every single campaign since and including 2008-09.This will be the joint-most seasons played in by a striker in the competition’s history, equalling Jermain Defoe (19), and he will be keen to kick on from last term.Welbeck scored 13 goals in the Premier League for the Seagulls in 2025-26, equalling the record for the most by a Brighton player in the top flight (Glenn Murray in 2018-19). MATCH PREDICTION: CHELSEA WINChelsea were beaten in their most recent meeting with Fulham (1-2 in January in the Premier League) but have not lost consecutive games versus the Cottagers across all competitions since a run of three between April 1977 and October 1979.The Blues have failed to win their opening game of the Premier League season in each of the last three seasons (D2 L1), last going four in a row without a win between 1995-96 and 1998-99.And they will be hoping Alonso can make an instant impact. Since the start of March, Chelsea have the fewest points of any side not to be relegated from the top flight last season (seven). The Blues lost eight of 11 league games in this period (W2 D1), more than any other side.Fulham, meanwhile, have won six Premier League home games in 2026, with only Manchester United (eight) winning more. The Cottagers have won six of their last nine at Craven Cottage (L3).However, Fulham have won their opening game in just one of their last six Premier League seasons (D2 L3), beating Everton in the 2023-24 campaign.The Cottagers will begin a Premier League season with a London derby for a fourth time, while they have lost each of the previous three: 1-2 away to Arsenal in 2007-08, 0-2 at home to Crystal Palace in 2018-19, and 0-3 at home to Arsenal in 2020-21.OPTA WIN PROBABILITYFulham – 26.7%Draw – 23.2%Chelsea – 50.1%The post Arbeloa to put Alonso friendship aside as Fulham face Chelsea appeared first on SoccerNews.