Fulham have really impressed - Potter
Chelsea return to action following a two week break as they host Fulham in the Premier League tonight following a record-breaking January transfer window.
The Blues broke the British transfer record to Enzo Fernandez on deadline and take their spending over £300m for the month with Mykhailo Mudryk, Benoit Badiashile, Noni Madueke, Malo Gusto, Andrey Santos and David Datro Fofana also moving to Stamford Bridge.
Manager Graham Potter must now come up with a solution to fit all of his new incomings into the team and help Chelsea improve on their current 10th place standing in the table. Fulham come into this West London derby sitting above the Blues in the table and the Cottagers have good memories of this clash having won the reverse fixture 2-1 earlier this month.
Marco Silva will be hoping to repeat that result having also strengthened his squad in January with the signings of midfielder Sasa Lukic and Arsenal right-back Cedric Soares who moves to Craven Cottage on a loan deal.
Follow all the action as Chelsea host Fulham at Stamford Bridge:
Chelsea 0-0 Fulham
24 mins: Hakim Ziyech swings a corner ball into the middle of the box for Chelsea but Tim Ream gets up early and nods the ball away.
It drops to Conor Gallagher who guides it back over to Ziyech but he’s flagged offside.
Chelsea 0-0 Fulham
21 mins: Close! Fulham almost find a way through with a finely weighted pass up to Aleksandar Mitrovic. The forward doesn’t gather the ball correctly though and can’t kick on in behind the Chelsea defence.
Instead Thiago Silva and Benoit Badiashile close him down and recover the ball for the home side.
Chelsea 0-0 Fulham
18 mins: Fulham are nicely drilled in defensive and are keeping their shape compact moving across the pitch as one unit. It’s tricky for Chelsea to break down.
They resort to giving the ball to Thiago Silva. He flicks a long ball over the top and picks out Kai Havertz who turns it towards goal only to be denied by Bernd Leno.
The offside flag goes up so it wouldn’t have counted anyway.
Chelsea 0-0 Fulham
15 mins: Chelsea can’t find an easy path through the centre of the pitch with Enzo Fernandez well marked by Fulham. They switch the play out to Hakim Ziyech on the right and the winger whips the ball into the penalty area.
Myhailo Mudryk is hovering on the far side of the box but Bernd Leno sprints out and plucks the ball off his nose.
Chelsea 0-0 Fulham
12 mins: Aleksandar Mitrovic and Enzo Fernandez have a bit of a tussle in the box as Fulham play a free kick short. Mitrovic isn’t happy about all the grappling but the cross never comes into the box as it gets charged down but the Blues.
Chelsea 0-0 Fulham
9 mins: Close! Chelsea intercept the ball in midfield and Mason Mount sends it up to Kai Havertz who shifts it back to Mount it a swift one-two.
Mount threads a pass up to Mudryk but Kenny Tete leaps across and pokes the ball away with a perfectly timed lunge. Fulham were in trouble if he missed the ball there.
Chelsea are moving it around nicely. They’re growing into the game well.
Chelsea 0-0 Fulham
6 mins: Antonee Robinson gets his first opportunity to get forward down the wing for Fulham. He receives the ball out wide and puts on a spurt to take it past Hakim Ziyech’s half-hearted attempt at a tackle.
Robinson then cuts inside of Reece James but overhits the ball and can’t stop it from crossing the byline. Decent run from the left-back though.
Chelsea 0-0 Fulham
3 mins: Chelsea thread the ball into midfield where it comes to Conor Gallagher. He slips it quickly across to Mason Mount who carries the ball to the edge of the box before feeding Myhailo Mudryk on the left.
Mudryk checks to the left and shoots but sends the effort wide. Was there a deflection off Issa Diop? Perhaps but the referee awards a goal kick.
Kick off: Chelsea 0-0 Fulham
Chelsea get the game underway and send the ball back to Thiago Silva. The defender knocks the ball into midfield before floating a diagonal ball over to Kai Havertz on the left wing.
Havertz looks to win it under pressure but can’t bring the ball down and knocks it out for a Fulham throw in.
Chelsea vs Fulham
Here come the teams.
Enzo Fernandez makes his debut appearance and Mykhailo Mudryk earns his first start for Chelsea tonight. Will they help the Blues pick up three points at Stamford Bridge?