Chelsea roundup: back-to-back wins lift Blues to fourth ahead of Hull's visit

Chelsea sit fourth in the Premier League table three matches into the new campaign, and the early story of their season is written plainly in the numbers: goals at both ends, and plenty of them.

State of play

According to the Premier League table, Chelsea have won two and lost one of their opening three fixtures, scoring eight and conceding seven. The defeat came away to Arsenal in the first of those matches, the Gunners prevailing 2-1, before a 4-3 home victory over Brighton & Hove Albion and a 3-2 win at Fulham made it back-to-back successes.

That leaves Chelsea three points behind Manchester City and Arsenal, who both hold perfect records, one behind third-placed Hull City and one clear of Brentford in fifth. No side in the division has scored more than Chelsea's eight, with only Brighton matching that tally, while only Ipswich Town and Crystal Palace, on eight apiece, have conceded more than Chelsea's seven — a figure Fulham also share. The resulting goal difference of plus one is the joint-narrowest inside the top ten.

What's next

Two tests now arrive in quick succession, and both ask different questions of Chelsea's contrasting strengths.

• Chelsea v Hull City — Saturday 12 September, kick-off 3pm UK time. Hull arrive third, unbeaten and, according to the Premier League table, the only side in the division yet to concede: three scored, none against. Chelsea's joint-leading attack against the only defence yet to be breached is the sub-plot of the weekend.
• Brentford v Chelsea — Friday 18 September, kick-off 8pm UK time. Brentford are fifth and also unbeaten, but the odds attached to the fixture in FanTribe's data make Chelsea the narrow favourites at 2.50, with Brentford at 2.74 and the draw at 3.85.

Transfer watch

BBC Sport reported on 7 September that Chelsea explored a move for Fulham midfielder Berge. The story remains unconfirmed, and it surfaced with Fulham — Chelsea's most recent opponents — sitting 19th after three defeats from three.

The same outlet's Monday gossip column, meanwhile, carried a claim that Chelsea are plotting an early move for Scott. That, too, is an unconfirmed rumour.

Around the coverage

BBC Sport's verdict on that opening defeat was headlined "No new striker, no worries - Havertz and Odegaard torment Chelsea", while the outlet also ran video analysis headlined "Odegaard 'desire' in Chelsea win impresses Rooney".

The FanTribe view

FanTribe's club data shows a following of 25 Chelsea fans on the platform. With eight goals in three games, a seven-goal thriller against Brighton already banked and a home date with the division's meanest defence to come, that community has no shortage of talking points — and, should the Berge and Scott links develop, plenty more besides.