Xabi Alonso urges Robert Sanchez to 'relax and carry on' after Chelsea goalkeeper endured a nightmare Premier League opener at Fulham

Xabi Alonso responded ‘relax and carry on’ when asked about Robert Sanchez’s mistakes in his Premier League win as Blues boss, insisting it is not only in goal where Chelsea can do better.

Sanchez stirred up the debate surrounding how far the Blues can go with their 28-year-old Spaniard in goal. He conceded a weak strike from Josh King before parrying another shot for Fulham’s £34million summer signing from Real Madrid, Gonzalo Garcia, to head home the rebound.

Towards the end of this first victory for Alonso, Sanchez was fortunate that Antonee Robinson lacked the accuracy to lob him for an equaliser after he had charged out of his goal.

When asked about Sanchez afterwards, Alonso said: ‘It's about the team, it's not about the individual. The first goal, we can do better to defend, we can do better to avoid, but it's part of the game. We need to accept and to learn. This is going to be a process. All the lines, from the strikers, the midfielders, the defence, the goalkeepers, we want to do better in everything. The goal was to start good, and we've been able to start well. Relax and carry on.’

Chelsea have insisted throughout this summer that they are happy with goalkeeper set-up, with Sanchez as their No 1 and 21-year-old Belgian Mike Penders as his understudy. Goals from their fearsome front three in Joao Pedro, Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer made sure Chelsea won at Craven Cottage against Alvaro Arbeloa's Fulham.

Robert Sanchez has been urged to 'relax and carry on' by Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso

The Blues stopper had a night to forget at Fulham, where he was unable to keep two goals out

Enzo Fernandez was introduced as a second-half substitute. While Fulham’s fans booed his every touch – and chanted ‘England, England’ at the Argentinian – Chelsea's supporters sang his name. It was a show of support from the away end despite his intense links to Manchester City.

‘In football, I am not surprised by anything,’ Alonso said about Fernandez and the speculation. ‘We will see. My wish is that we know what will happen for the future, but we will see this week.’

On Joao Pedro, Rogers and Palmer, Alonso added: ‘They need to take responsibility, they need to lead the rest, they need to inspire the rest. If they do, great, other ones will follow.’

Meanwhile, Fulham boss Arbeloa said: ‘We conceded goals in the first minute, at the end of the first half and at the beginning of the second half. There are not worse moments to concede.

‘But we showed character and personality and I am very proud of how my players responded. We deserved a little more but football is not about what you deserve, it is about what you take. For me, they are easy goals for them and mistakes we cannot make. We need to improve and be more ready in the first minute, that is for sure.’