London (AFP)
A late goal from Mason Mount allowed Chelsea to win (1-0) at Fulham, reduced to 10 in the second half, Saturday on the 19th day of the Premier League, allowing the Blues not to completely drop out of the race. 'Europe.
With 29 points, Chelsea are provisionally 7th in the championship, with 29 points, or 7 less than leaders Manchester United, but are only 3 lengths from the podium.
Fulham, who remained on 5 consecutive draws, suffered a stoppage in the race to maintain.
The Cottagers are 18th with 12 points, 4 behind Burnley, the first non-relegation player.
Frank Lampard will probably not leave this match very reassured about the potential of his team, who really mastered the game only when his opponent found himself outnumbered, just before the break.
A poorly controlled intervention by the American side Antonee Robinson on Cesar Azpilicueta earned the Fulham player a red card, while his team had managed to rebalance the debates at the end of the first act of this London derby.
Chelsea had created the best opportunity on a strike from Mount, after a cross from Ben Chilwell, but the recovery of the midfielder had hit the crossbar of an Alphonse Areola, again good in this game but powerless in this action (25th).
Highly visible, the English international was rewarded by being at the reception of a center pushed back in the axis by the opposing goalkeeper, for a recovery at the post (1-0, 78th).
Nothing to show off, however, for the Blues who struggled to find Olivier Giroud, lined up for 75 minutes at the peak.
The rebound will have to be confirmed next Tuesday, in a late match of the 18th matchday against Leicester 4th, but with 3 points more than the Londoners for the moment.
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