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Chelsea logo
Premier League
Sep 21, 2013 at 5.30pm UK
 
Fulham logo

2-0

Oscar (51'), Obi Mikel (84')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Match Analysis: Chelsea 2-0 Fulham

Sports Mole looks over Chelsea's 2-0 win against Fulham in the Premier League.

Chelsea returned to the top of the Premier League table on Saturday when they beat local rivals Fulham 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.

Following a goalless first half, Oscar opened the scoring for the Blues minutes after the break with a calm finish from close range.

The win was then sealed late on thanks to a rare goal from Jon Obi Mikel - his first in the Premier League.

Here, Sports Mole takes a look at the action between the two teams.

Match statistics:

Chelsea:
Shots 26
On target 10
Possession 64%
Corners 13
Fouls 11

Fulham:
Shots 4
On target 1
Possession 36%
Corners 3
Fouls 9

Was the result fair?

Fulham had chances to go ahead in the match, but it was Chelsea who did most of the serious pressing in the final third. Overall, the Blues had the extra bit of quality in attack and defence, a combination that saw them deservedly come away with the points against their local rivals.

Chelsea's performance

This was far from vintage Chelsea, but they refused to become frustrated with a dogged Fulham side. There was vulnerability in the defence, while they struggled at times to break their opponents down with some stodgy approach play. However, the win has seen the Blues go back to the top of the league - not bad for a club in crisis.

Fulham's performance

It could have been all so different for Fulham had Darren Bent converted two chances early on in the first half. Instead, they failed to keep Chelsea back and ultimately paid the price. The Cottagers' defence, led by the heroic Brede Hangeland, made it hard for the home side to mount any decent pressure, but a lack of finishing was their undoing.

Sports Mole's man of the match

Ramires: The Chelsea midfielder showed just how fit he is by running from box to box throughout the 90 minutes. His passing was crisp, while his work in defence was valuable against a lively Fulham attack.

Biggest gaffe

Darren Bent should have given Fulham the lead early in the match when he was put clear through on goal, but his tame effort was saved by Petc Cech - a moment that was pivotal to the final result.

Referee performance

For the most part, Andre Marriner did well to keep the match flowing with a decent display out in the middle. There were a couple of penalty calls that could have gone either way, but it should also be noted that he did not book a single player during the match.

What next?

Chelsea: The Blues travel to Swindon Town in the third round of the Capital One Cup on Tuesday.

Fulham: The Cottagers play host to Everton in round three of the Capital One Cup on Tuesday.

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Chelsea players congratulate Jon Obi Mikel after his goal against Fulham on September 21, 2013
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