This fixture comes 121 years and one day after Hull became the Blues’ first competitive opponents at Stamford Bridge on 11 September 1905.

The visitors have been the surprise package of the current season, placed third and yet to concede a goal, three fixtures into their return to the top flight. Only two promoted clubs had previously achieved that feat – Charlton Athletic in 1998 and Huddersfield Town in 2017.

Xabi Alonso will be determined to rewrite Chelsea’s recent history at home to Premier League new boys, after no win in four matches since consecutive victories against Southampton and Leicester City in 2025.

On Tuesday at Sunderland, the Tigers lost 1-0 in the Carabao Cup (their first defeat of the season), though Sergej Jakirovic made eight changes to their line-up from the previous weekend.

A day later in the same competition, Chelsea even outshone the floodlights at the Bridge, storming back from 2-0 down to beat ancient rivals Leeds United 6-3, with substitute Morgan Rogers contributing three assists.

The last time this fixture was on the Premier League schedule in 2016/17, Antonio Conte’s Blues won 2-0 home and away, with Diego Costa scoring in both games.

Chelsea’s run of hosting Hull 18 times in the league without loss is the Blues’ best record against any club and City’s worst.

The history

Chelsea and Hull have met 49 times across all competitions, but only 10 times in the top flight. The Humberside club have scored just three league goals over their 18 visits to the Fulham Road.

The Tigers were the first side ever to visit Stamford Bridge for a Division Two fixture on 11 September 1905, Jimmy Windridge (three goals) and David Copeland (two goals) starring in a 5-1 thrashing.

Their most celebrated visit was the final match of the Division Two season on 14 May 1977, a 4-0 win for Chelsea that became a promotion party.

Twice play was stopped by boisterous fans encroaching onto the pitch as Ian Britton netted one and Steve Finnieston grabbed a hat-trick. Inspirational manager Eddie McCreadie even pleaded with fans over the public address system to stay calm and remain on the terraces.

Hull have never beaten the Blues in London and their last victory at home was 18 meetings back. Chelsea have won 15 of the 17 matches on all fronts since (including each of the last nine) and drawn two.

Know this…

Chelsea are three goals short of 100 against Hull across all competitions.

Only Portsmouth (14) have played more Premier League matches against the Blues without victory than Hull (10).

The three most recent encounters between the two teams were all FA Cup wins for the Blues, in 2018, 2020 and February this year, with an aggregate score of 10-1.

Chelsea have become the first team ever to score within five minutes of the start in each of their opening three Premier League fixtures.

Joao Pedro was fouled six times by Arsenal, the most suffered by a single player in any Premier League match this season.

On Wednesday, in the 6-3 Carabao Cup defeat of Leeds, the Blues netted six second-half goals for the first time since the 8-0 win over Wigan Athletic in May 2010, which clinched the Premier League title. Our 16-year-old midweek debutant Reggie Watson was 14 weeks old back then and his father Ben started for the Latics.

Our record victory in the League Cup, 7-0 at Doncaster Rovers in 1960, also featured a six-goal second-half salvo.