Chelsea beat Fulham 2-0

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 yesterday.

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.

“Today we were a little tense, nervous,” Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri said. “It wasn’t easy the days after Tottenham for me and the players. It was important to react. In the mind of the players there was only the result.”

“We needed that second goal,” Loftus-Cheek said. “They looked dangerous at times. When I get the opportunity I just do my best.” | Reuters