MOUNT
Late Mason match-winner’s
MASON MOUNT came up trumps to help Frank Lampard breathe a little easier in the Chelsea hotseat.
The England midfielder grabbed his second goal in as many games to finally end the stubborn resistance of Scott Parker’s brave hosts who had Antonee Robinson red-carded after 42 minutes.
Mount’s lethal finish secured Chelsea’s second league win in seven outings – and eased the pressure on his manager following a dreadful run over the festive period.
Afterwards Lampard was glowing in his praise for the Blues’ inspirational playmaker before demanding that he gets on the scoresheet on a regular basis.
The Chelsea chief said: “I thought Mason was outstanding anyway so he deserves the accolades for how he played. I did have a feeling we would get the goal because it was constant, the pressure.
“It was just about staying patient, staying quick with our passing and we did.
“He needs to score more goals, Mason knows that. But his quality is brilliant, his attitude is brilliant. He’s still only 22.”
If the Blues are looking upwards again after jumping to seventh in the table, spare a thought for Fulham.
This defeat ended their superb six-game unbeaten run in all competitions and leaves them still in the drop zone, four points from safety.
Had Robinson not received a straight red just before the break it might have been a very different outcome.
Cottagers boss Parker was despondent post-match.
He said: “I haven’t seen the sending off again but at the time I didn’t feel like it was.
“I have nothing but admiration for my team. To play that long with 10 men against a quality side was pretty remarkable.”
But for Robinson’s dismissal before the break, Parker’s men may well have taken all three points – let alone a share of the spoils.
Despite his side being in the bottom three, the pressure on the Fulham boss was nothing in comparison to the weight of those dark clouds gathering over Lampard. The hosts far from
began the day two points adrift of safety – until Brighton’s win at Leeds meant the gap between them and 17th-placed Burnley was four points.
Still, not such a bad state of affairs for a side written off by most before a ball was kicked – and by everyone after losing the first four matches upon their return to the big time.
Parker has never lost faith and excellent displays had backed him up. Last night they matched Chelsea early on before the visitors gradually began to dominate.
Olivier Giroud, preferred to Timo Werner, had a long-range effort saved early on – and that set the pattern.
Fulham stopper
Alphonse
Areola was busy and did brilliantly to turn Hakim Ziyech’s piledriver round the post. And he was soon thanking his crossbar for saving him on the half-hour. Mount, in rare space inside the area, controlled before smashing a first-time effort off the woodwork.
If Chelsea deserved better they were counting their blessings to be level at the interval after Ivan Cavaleiro failed to finish off a sweeping counter in the 42nd minute. Robinson was integral to that blistering attack yet barely 60 seconds later was heading for an early bath – dismissed for a late lunge on Cesar Azpilicueta. Reckless and out of control, the foul was needless and left the hosts with an uphill task. Yet they stood firm and seemed to be coping – until 12 minutes from time.
Areola, who had been rock solid throughout, made his only error and Fulham paid the price. He should have done far better dealing with Ben Chilwell’s cross.
Turning it over would have made sense but he parried the ball straight into the path of Mount, who this time made no mistake as he rifled in to put a big smile back on his manager’s face.
Mount said: “It was a massive game for us. We know the run we’ve been through, it’s been tough. We’ve had to really look at ourselves.
“It was good to get the win against Morecambe – that was a step to getting wins under our belt again.
“Today was a tough, tough game and we had to wait until late in the second half to score. “We’ve all really had to dig deep as a team. “We’ve been together throughout it all, shown really good character tonight and got the win, that’s the main thing.”