Match ends, Chelsea 2, Fulham 0.
ChelseaChelsea2FulhamFulham0
Kai Havertz scored twice to boost Chelsea's grip on a Champions League place and send Fulham closer to Premier League relegation.
The German, one of five changes in between the Blues' Champions League semi-final legs against Real Madrid, latched on to Mason Mount's through ball to give them an early lead.
He doubled their advantage when he finished after a one-two with Timo Werner.
In between those efforts he also had a goal correctly ruled out for offside.
Fulham had plenty of chances in the first half with Antonee Robinson and Ola Aina forcing good saves from Edouard Mendy.
But they created nothing of note after the break and now sit nine points off safety with four games to go.
Chelsea, who just need a goalless home draw against Real on Wednesday to reach the Champions League final, have a six-point cushion over West Ham in the top four.
Havertz's finest hour?
Havertz has struggled to live up to high expectations following his £71m move from Bayer Leverkusen last summer but in 90 minutes against Fulham he managed to double his Premier League goal tally.
A clinical performance - he scored with both his shots - could put him in manager Thomas Tuchel's thinking for the Real game on Wednesday.
His first came at the end of a nice team move which started with goalkeeper Mendy, who has now kept 16 clean sheets in 28 Premier League games. He rolled the ball to Thiago Silva, who sprayed a long ball forward. Mount controlled it well and fed Havertz who slotted home.
He then had a goal ruled out for a clear offside from another Mount pass.
His second came when he controlled Ben Chilwell's pass and beat two defenders before finding Werner. He continued his run to ghost in behind the defence and received Werner's return pass before finishing.
The hard-working, unselfish Werner is another big-money summer signing who seems to have underachieved - yet he is the first player to reach double figures in goals and assists - 11 and 10 respectively - in his first Chelsea season since Eden Hazard in 2012-13.
Only four other Premier League players have achieved over 10 goals and assists in all competitions this season.
That Havertz goal was Chelsea's only shot in the second half until a late flurry in injury time as they were able to just cruise to victory before the biggest game of their season.
A matter of if, not when for Fulham
Brighton's 2-0 win over Leeds earlier on Saturday left Fulham nine points from safety and with four games to go for the London side it is basically all over.
They had more shots in the first half than Chelsea, seven to five, with drives from Robinson and Ademola Lookman well saved before Mendy changed his body shape to keep out Aina's deflected strike.
Scott Parker's team looked a beaten side in every way in the second half with only three efforts, none on target.
They even handed teenager Fabio Carvalho a league debut in a bid to make something happen but he did not get a chance to make much of an impact.
Their run against Chelsea now stretches to one win in their past 40 meetings.
All four teams above Fulham play again before their next game so their fate could be even closer to being sealed by then.
Match stats - Tuchel sets Premier League record
- Chelsea are unbeaten in their past 19 home matches against Fulham in all competitions (W11 D8), a run going back to 1979.
- Fulham remain winless in their past 24 Premier League London derbies (D5 L19), since a 2-1 victory against West Ham in January 2014.
- Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has kept more clean sheets (11) than any other manager in Premier League history from their first 15 games in charge in the competition.
- All eight of Kai Havertz's goals for Chelsea in all competitions have been scored in London - seven at Stamford Bridge and one at Selhurst Park.
- Mason Mount (five goals, two assists) and Timo Werner (two goals, five assists) have been involved in more Chelsea goals under Tuchel than any other player.
What's next?
Chelsea host Real Madrid on Wednesday (20:00 BST) in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final before visiting Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday (17:30).
Fulham have a nine-day break before hosting Burnley on Monday, 10 May (20:00).
How to play
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key = Give it up = Pure perfection
Chelsea
Starting XI
Avg
- Squad number16Player nameMendyAverage rating
7.48
- Squad number4Player nameChristensenAverage rating
7.11
- Squad number6Player nameThiago SilvaAverage rating
7.45
- Squad number15Player nameZoumaAverage rating
6.96
- Squad number24Player nameJamesAverage rating
7.03
- Squad number23Player nameGilmourAverage rating
7.46
- Squad number19Player nameMountAverage rating
6.29
- Squad number21Player nameChilwellAverage rating
5.97
- Squad number22Player nameZiyechAverage rating
5.94
- Squad number11Player nameWernerAverage rating
7.92
- Squad number29Player nameHavertzAverage rating
8.69
Substitutes
Avg
- Squad number3Player nameAlonsoAverage rating
6.29
- Squad number7Player nameKantéAverage rating
6.74
- Squad number9Player nameAbrahamAverage rating
5.65
Fulham
Starting XI
Avg
- Squad number1Player nameAreolaAverage rating
5.13
- Squad number34Player nameAinaAverage rating
4.96
- Squad number5Player nameAndersenAverage rating
4.99
- Squad number16Player nameTosinAverage rating
4.66
- Squad number33Player nameRobinsonAverage rating
4.81
- Squad number29Player nameZambo AnguissaAverage rating
4.79
- Squad number18Player nameLeminaAverage rating
4.71
- Squad number17Player nameCavaleiroAverage rating
4.66
- Squad number14Player nameDe Cordova-ReidAverage rating
4.74
- Squad number19Player nameLookmanAverage rating
4.82
- Squad number27Player nameMajaAverage rating
4.62
Substitutes
Avg
- Squad number9Player nameMitrovicAverage rating
4.38
- Squad number25Player nameOnomahAverage rating
4.41
- Squad number48Player nameCarvalhoAverage rating
4.58
Line-ups
Chelsea
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 16Mendy
- 4Christensen
- 6Thiago Silva
- 15ZoumaBooked at 41mins
- 24James
- 23Gilmour
- 19MountSubstituted forAbrahamat 76'minutes
- 21ChilwellSubstituted forAlonsoat 81'minutes
- 22ZiyechSubstituted forKantéat 66'minutes
- 11Werner
- 29Havertz
Substitutes
- 1Arrizabalaga
- 3Alonso
- 5Jorginho
- 7Kanté
- 9Abraham
- 10Pulisic
- 20Hudson-Odoi
- 28Azpilicueta
- 55Anjorin
Fulham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Areola
- 34AinaBooked at 90mins
- 5Andersen
- 16Tosin
- 33Robinson
- 29Zambo Anguissa
- 18LeminaSubstituted forCarvalhoat 78'minutes
- 17CavaleiroSubstituted forOnomahat 78'minutes
- 14De Cordova-Reid
- 19Lookman
- 27MajaSubstituted forMitrovicat 81'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Tete
- 3Hector
- 4Odoi
- 9Mitrovic
- 12Rodák
- 13Ream
- 23Bryan
- 25Onomah
- 48Carvalho
- Referee:
- Kevin Friend
Match Stats
Home TeamChelseaAway TeamFulham
- Possession
- Home49%
- Away51%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away3
- Corners
- Home1
- Away8
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away8
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Chelsea 2, Fulham 0.
Post update
Attempt saved. Timo Werner (Chelsea) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Marcos Alonso.
Post update
Attempt missed. Marcos Alonso (Chelsea) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Billy Gilmour following a set piece situation.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Timo Werner (Chelsea) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Marcos Alonso (Chelsea) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Booking
Ola Aina (Fulham) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Ola Aina (Fulham).
Post update
Timo Werner (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Tosin Adarabioyo (Fulham) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Tammy Abraham (Chelsea).
Post update
Foul by Thiago Silva (Chelsea).
Post update
Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Andreas Christensen (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Ademola Lookman (Fulham).
Post update
Attempt missed. Antonee Robinson (Fulham) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by André-Frank Zambo Anguissa.
Post update
Offside, Fulham. Tosin Adarabioyo tries a through ball, but Ola Aina is caught offside.
Post update
Attempt missed. Tosin Adarabioyo (Fulham) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Ademola Lookman with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Fulham. Conceded by Tammy Abraham.
Post update
Foul by Andreas Christensen (Chelsea).
Comments
Join the conversation
Well done.
All the neutrals throughout England and Europe hoping that you or West Ham get 4th place (and stop Liverpool) for the good of football.
Who will join liverpool in Europa?
Bet these unimportant prieamadoners fingers are itching like made to get posting...
Do they really think their views matter ????
Easy solution just don't go on it , all for popularity.
It's not hard .
You stop DON'T DICTATE TO OTHERS ....
Fulham got a lot of the ball today & Chelsea didn't have it all their own way. But I think they're pretty much done for now, though I'll be sad to see them go, especially as they're better than the teams that will take their place