Chelsea bounce back from Spurs defeat to sweep aside Fulham in west London derby
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Your support makes all the difference.Goals in each half from Spain's Pedro and homegrown midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek earned Chelsea a 2-0 win over southwest London rivals Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday.
N'Golo Kante dispossessed Jean Michael Seri in the middle of the pitch in the fourth minute and sent a perfectly-weighted pass to Pedro who stepped inside and fired low with his left foot into the bottom corner.
Chelsea buzzed round their neighbours' goal for the rest of the half without finding a way through and bottom club Fulham, who won their first game under former Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri last week, grew in confidence in the second half.
Fulham earned their best chances through the lively Calum Chambers who forced Kepa Arrizabalaga into two diving saves.
Yet their hopes were snuffed out in the 82nd minute when Eden Hazard fed substitute Loftus-Cheek and the England midfielder knocked the ball home.
The result lifted Chelsea above Tottenham Hotspur, who inflicted a first defeat of the season on Chelsea last week, and into third in the Premier League -- at least until the Arsenal-Tottenham derby later on Sunday.
Reuters
Re-live the action:
62 mins: It's a really bitty performance from Chelsea who are struggling to put Fulham to the sword.
The longer the game stays like this, the more confidence the Whites might take, here.
Little to no fluency from Chelsea and the crowd are very quiet as a result.
As I say this, Pedro attempts a first time volley but it is once again all too easy for Rico to collect.
64 mins: SAVE KEPA!
Brilliant play from Fulham as Kamara feeds Cairney who runs in to the box and holds off the challenge of Kante.
He feeds Chambers on the edge of the box who unleashes a curling effort on goal which is palmed to safety by Kepa.
A save you'd expect your keeper to make but a good one nonetheless.
65 mins: Free-kick to Fulham and they're continuing to probe.
Kovacic is being replaced by Ruben Loftus-Cheek. A sub I think needed to happen.
69 mins: Chambers with the skills!
The defender beats Alonso and Jorginho with a wonderful turn of skill but his cross is more like his centre back status would describe as it goes miles away from any targets.
Regardless, they're making strides.
72 mins: CHANCE CHELSEA!
Chelsea could have put this game to bed as Hazard finds room to test Rico on the edge of the box.
The keeper makes a strong save with his right hand but the rebound falls into the path of the onrushing Morata who is surely going to make it 2-0...
But no! The Spaniard who has just come on blasts his effort high, wide and not very handsomely off his shin.
Not good.
75 mins:
Final change for Fulham sees the captain Tom Cairney leave the field for Neeskens Kebano to take his place.
Can they find an equaliser?
76 mins: Great run from Loftus-Cheek sees Hazard with a chance on the edge of the box but his shot is again blocked.
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