Fulham 0-1 Chelsea: Mason Mount to the rescue as Blues narrowly see off 10-man Fulham

SI Editorial | Oct 25, 2024

Jul 16, 2022; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Club America midfielder Diego Valdes (10) battles for the ball against Chelsea FC midfielder Mason Mount (19) during the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images / Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

This article is part of the Sports Illustrated archive. The date on this page does not represent the date when the original article was published (Jan 16, 2021).

Chelsea narrowly beat a 10-man Fulham side at Craven Cottage in the Premier League on Saturday evening, courtesy of a strike from Mason Mount.

Fulham were reduced to 10-men on the stroke of half-time after Antonee Robinson was shown a straight red card for a late challenge on Cesar Azpilicueta.

Mason Mount was the difference as he netted 12 minutes from time past Alphonse Areola to put the Blues ahead.

The win sees the Blues end a run of three straight league defeats to ease the pressure on Lampard's job at Chelsea.

It was a quiet opening 15 minutes in west London as both sides looked to grow into the game. Olivier Giroud had the first chance of the game as he sliced Mason Mount's chest-down towards the bottom corner fro the edge of the area in ninth minute but Alphonse Areola tipped it away well to ensure the Blues didn't take an early lead. 

Fulham put the Blues under pressure as Lampard's men looked slow but Hakim Ziyech almost put Chelsea ahead in the 23rd minute after a neat link-up with Giroud following a dummy but his low effort was well-saved. 

Two minutes later and Mason Mount was inches away from putting the visitors ahead. Ben Chilwell's cross from the left-hand side fell to the Englishman in the box but his effort crashed off the woodwork. Areola was called into action no more than two minutes later making a fine save to keep out Antonio Rudiger's header.

The hosts looked bright as they continued to put Chelsea under pressure and four minutes before half-time they should've been ahead. Antonee Robinson broke after some Barcelona-esque passing and he found Kenny Tete in space, who then teed up Ivan Cavaleiro ten yards out, but he miscued his effort and the chance went begging. 

From almost going ahead, four minutes later and Fulham's evening got even harder. Robinson was shown a straight red by Peter Bankes after a late and high challenge on Cesar Azpilicueta. VAR upheld the decision, which gave Chelsea a real opportunity to take all the points in west London.

Chelsea started the second-half brightly as Lampard opted to stick with his starting XI for the beginning of the second-half. Mason Mount's corner deliveries were once again spot on as was his movement for the Blues.

But Fulham had a half chance eight minutes into the second-half as they countered. Ola Aina, a former Blue, glided to the edge of the box but fired an effort well over. Ziyech also had a similar effort shortly after fly over Areola's bar for Chelsea. 

Olivier Giroud was nearly in as Chelsea built it up well in the 63rd minute but the flag spared his blushes as he fired a one-v-one from close range wide.

Lampard's side continued to try to find a breakthrough and he turned to Tammy Abraham on the substitutes bench and replaced Jorginho which saw the Blues switch to a 4-4-2 system. 

And almost immediately, Abraham was involved but he headed Rudiger's cross straight at Areola.

Chelsea were knocking on the door and Ziyech whipped another great ball to the back post but Christian Pulisic couldn't quite get on the end of it. 

Edouard Mendy's blushes were spared after he rushed out in the 68th minute as Azpilicueta tried to play it back to him, but fortunately Thiago Silva made a block to ensure Fulham didn't capitalise. 

Lampard made his two final changes as he looked for a winner. Ziyech and Giroud were replaced with 15 minutes to go; Callum Hudson-Odoi and Timo Werner came on. 

And with 12 minutes to go, Chelsea were finally ahead. Mount, Chelsea's best player, fired past bodies from close range as Areola's palm out fell to the midfielder inside the box. 

Chelsea should've sealed the win as Callum Hudson-Odoi did some excellent ball work on the right to find Timo Werner. But a poor touch ended the move late on.

Azpilicueta had a chance in stoppage time as Mount's cut back fell to him, but he blazed over into the stands.

Werner raced through one-v-one late in stoppage time but he could only curl wide. 

But they held on to claim a narrow 1-0 win against Scott Parker's side. Chelsea made hard work of it to end their three game run of consecutive league defeats.

Lampard's men climb into seventh as they travel to the Midlands on Tuesday night to face Leicester City.

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