26 December 2024
Chelsea 1 Fulham 2
With other sides faltering, Enzo Maresca’s side had stumbled into a title race that they had not planned for. They welcomed Fulham to Stamford Bridge for a London derby. This was not a happy hunting ground for The Cottagers, who had not won here since 1979. They hadn’t even scored a goal in this fixture since 2011. The omens were not looking good for Marco Silva’s side.
Chelsea knew that victory would put them within a point of Liverpool at the top of the table. They started in positive mood, stretching the visitors all over the pitch with their passing game. As Palmer received the ball in the middle of the park, he dribbled past the visitors before slotting the ball into the bottom corner. He is proving to be some signing for The Blues.
The one thing you know when you face Chelsea, or Cole Palmer FC as they are more commonly known, you cannot afford to give him any time or space on the ball. Silva’s side had done both and paid the ultimate price. At this point everyone inside Stamford Bridge was expecting to see a dominant win for Maresca’s high-flying Blues.
Fulham gave the ball away, gifting Chelsea the chance to come forward once again. Neto’s ball into the middle picked out Palmer but his tame effort was easily saved by Leno. We are so used to seeing the net bulging when he gets the ball in such a dangerous position, everyone seemed shocked that he had not doubled the Blues’ lead.
The Cottagers came forward on a rare attack as Bassey drove into the box. He got a well-struck shot off but Sanchez got down well to deny him. It was a warning for the hosts that if they did not kill this game off their West London neighbours were more than capable of causing them problems up the other end of the pitch.
Jackson turned his man and won a free kick in a dangerous position. Fernandez clipped a ball into the box, picking out Cucurella unmarked in the middle. With a completely free header, he put his effort too close to Leno who reacted well to save. As the ball came back out the Fulham defenders reacted quickest as they cleared their lines.
Into the second-half and The Blues continued to ask questions of the visitors. Fernandez shot from the outside the box, with his effort seemingly heading into the top corner of the goal. Leno dived full-stretch and did brilliantly to get a fingertip to it to turn it over the bar. Chelsea just could not find that second goal they craved for some breathing space.
The visitors came forward with Traore down the right. He spotted Robinson completely unmarked at the far post and found him. The full-back’s first touch was a heavy one and it gave Sanchez the chance to close him down and make a block. It was a huge chance for The Cottagers to find a way back into this game and you wondered whether they would live to regret the miss.
Jackson then found some space out wide and looked to run at the Fulham defence. He showed some good footwork as the goal opened up for him. His left-footed shot was straight at Leno and the keeper made a routine save. The atmosphere was starting to become tense in West London, the home fans feared they could be made to pay for all their wasted chances.
Fulham started venturing forward more, looking for an equaliser. Robinson swung a cross in to pick out Muniz but his header was straight at Sanchez. Time was running out for the visitors and you wondered whether they could create a clear-cut chance to punish the misfiring Blues. The hosts seemed to be feeling the nerves as they tried to hold on for victory.
Iwobi then skipped past Neto before laying it into the path of Robinson. He got to the byline and lifted a teasing ball into the box. Castagne headed it back across goal where Wilson ghosted in to head home past the despairing dive of Sanchez. The hosts complained that there was a foul in the build-up, now The Cottagers would have that long wait for the subsequent VAR review.
After what seemed like an age the VAR studio adjudged that there was no foul and the goal stood. Chelsea tried throwing everyone forward looking to find a winner. Cucurella met a cross with a bullet header but it struck a Fulham player. The ball dropped to Sancho but his shot was well saved by Leno to deny The Blues a late winner.
Deep into added time a Chelsea attack broke down and Fulham steamed forward. Traore’s cross found Muniz in the box, who tucked his shot into the bottom corner of the goal. The visitors’ bench went crazy as they celebrated what seemed to be an unlikely winner. All they had to do now was to see the game out.
The Blues were not done just yet. A cross into the box found Nkunku, who struck a volley into the ground, bouncing up towards the top corner. Leno came flying across his goal to make a superb save to ensure that all three points were heading to Craven Cottage. It was a massive result for Marco Silva’s side as they punished the hosts for being so wasteful.
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