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Enzo Fernandez wows on debut but Todd Boehly looks to the skies as £106m man is cancelled out by Joao Palhinha in scoreless draw after record £600m spend

Enzo Fernandez's Chelsea career started with promise, but there was little to celebrate for Todd Boehly at full time.

Fernandez, the £106million Premier League record signing from Benfica, was named in the Blues line-up, but couldn't make the difference in a 0-0 draw with Fulham.

Fernandez shone but was ultimately left disappointed
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Fernandez shone but was ultimately left disappointedCredit: Getty
And Boehly was a picture
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And Boehly was a pictureCredit: premier league productions

He, Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz all went close, but the Cottagers didn't have too much to worry about despite the west London derby rarely being so uneven.

Over £300m in the winter window took the Blues' spending to double that since Boehly and Clearlake Capital took over the club, with Fernandez the crown jewel.

The Argentine World Cup winner didn't look out of place, and earned the highest of praise from England legend and marvelbet369.commentator Stuart Pearce.

“Fernandez what he’s done on the ball, an outstanding job.

“He’s been as good as anything on the pitch at the moment, that’s for sure.

“He does everything textbook, when you’re up at this angle you look at what a player should do and where they should pass and he does it’s all textbook.

Fernandez dominated the ball on debut
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Fernandez dominated the ball on debut

“The biggest crime in football is do give the ball away and that’s one thing he never does.

“I’ve got a feeling the club shop will be selling out of those shirts very quickly.”

Unfortunately for Boehly and Graham Potter, though, there was just as impressive a display at the heart of the opposition midfield, from £20m Joao Palhinha.

"I’m looking at two players in their respective teams here, Fernandez and Palhinha and they’ve both done sterling jobs," Pearce added.

Palhinha nipping at Fernandez's heels stopped him making the difference
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Palhinha nipping at Fernandez's heels stopped him making the differenceCredit: Getty

"Fernandez what he’s done on the ball in the main, Palhinha just breaking things up when he’s had to.

“No players made more tackles in the Premier League this season, they’ll know plenty about each other, Fernandez and Palhinha.

“He has slotted into this team as if he’s been around for a while."

In the end, Palhinha was enough, with Kenny Tete standing out at right-back and Tim Ream once again faultless in defence.

That means Chelsea remain mid-table in the Premier League without a goal in their last two matches, something hard to fathom when looking at the balance sheet.

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