Chelsea 0-0 Fulham

Fulham have taken four points off rivals Chelsea this season, after an entertaining goalless draw at Stamford Bridge on Friday.

Both sides created opportunities in what was an energetic encounter, but our defence stood firm when they needed to and helped ensure that we took a point. 

Marco Silva opted for seven changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Sunderland in the FA Cup last weekend.

Bernd Leno returned in goal and in defence, American duo Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson replaced Tosin and Layvin Kurzawa respectively.

Harrison Reed, Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Willian all re-entered the fold, with Aleksandar Mitrović starting up top.

Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk got himself on the ball early on, but his attempted pass down the left was overhit.

It was a fast-paced game in the opening stages. Robinson used his electric pace and power to burst down the left-hand side. Unfortunately, he couldn’t quite stop the ball from rolling out for a goal kick.

The hosts were enjoying the majority of the possession in the opening stages. Leno did well to save Kai Havertz’s effort from close-range, but the flag was swiftly raised for offside anyway, so it wouldn’t have counted.

We looked equally as dangerous going forward, though. João Palhinha, who was everywhere, made a strong challenge before finding Andreas Pereira whose powerful effort stung the hands of Kepa.

Chelsea came close just past the half-hour mark. Enzo Fernández was making an impact in midfield and played a nice, lofted pass down the left to Mason Mount, who in turn found Havertz at the back post with a low cross. The German international was at full stretch and his effort flew over.

Fernández then played the ball through to Hakim Ziyech soon after, but he made a mess of his strike on the weaker foot.

It was end-to-end as the two sides battled for the lead. Kenny Tete did excellently to power down the right before swinging in a brilliant cross towards Willian at the back post. The Brazilian’s header back across goal couldn’t quite find Mitro.

We had the woodwork to thank just before the break, with the home side throwing a punch back of their own. Ziyech played a superb pass over the top towards Havertz, whose chip over Leno struck the post before bouncing out. Diop was sprinting back towards his own goal and might have cleared the danger anyway.

After an action-packed opening 45 minutes, the two sides went in level.

We started brightly after the interval, with Willian slaloming between Chelsea players before taking aim. His shot from a tight angle was fairly comfortable for Kepa.

Tete came to our rescue up the other end, heroically heading away Reece James’ delivery which was floating towards Nomi Madueke at the back post.

It was difficult to tell which way the game would swing, with both sides creating. Pereira had an effort from outside the area blocked, before Palhinha came charging in and blasted another shot over.

We tore the hosts open with just over 20 minutes remaining. Willian was released down the left, but his cross towards De Cordova-Reid was slightly overhit. Bobby still went for goal, but the shot was straight at the 'keeper.

Then, just moments later, Mitro tried an audacious lob from the halfway line which was pretty much perfect but well stopped by Kepa.

On 75 minutes, Silva brought on Harry Wilson and Manor Solomon in place of De Cordova-Reid and Willian.

We were fortunate not to go behind as the minutes ticked by. David Fofana almost put his side ahead on his Premier League debut, but Tim Ream, like he so often is, was in the right place at the right time. The attacker poked the ball past Leno and then escaped Diop, but his strike towards an open goal was cleared off the line by our captain.

The lads dug in and defended resolutely towards the end to collect their first draw at Stamford Bridge in 10 years. The result means we rise to sixth in the Premier League table.