A new-look Chelsea experienced familiar attacking frustrations as they were held to a goalless draw by Fulham in Friday’s west London derby at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea began with three of their eight January signings, with British record transfer Enzo Fernandez getting a start just 72 hours after arriving from Benfica to line up alongside Benoit Badiashile and Mykhailo Mudryk.
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But the lowest scorers in the Premier League’s top 10 again lacked a cutting edge in attack to leave them in ninth place in the table but now having played at least one game more than the teams below them.
Fulham’s impressive season continues, meanwhile, as they move up to sixth place, two points above their local rivals but having played a game more.
As well as the new signings, there was also a welcome return from injury at right-back for Reece James and a surprise place for winger Hakim Ziyech just days after his deadline-day move to Paris Saint-Germain fell through at the last moment.
Still Chelsea, having scored just 22 goals from their first 20 games, again struggled to present a consistent attacking threat. Fernandez, though, was at the heart of the hosts’ best attacking moves in the opening half.
The World Cup winner’s lofted pass in the 32nd minute sent Mason Mount clear down the left and only a crucial touch from Tim Ream likely prevented Kai Havertz from putting Mount’s low cross on target.
A few minutes later another Fernandez pass released Ziyech running into the box down the right but the Morocco international’s effort was sliced wildly wide of the Fulham goal.
At the other end, Fulham, who won the reverse fixture 2-1 just three weeks ago, began to grow into the game. And Andreas Pereira forced the only real save of the first half with a low shot that had Kepa Arrizabalaga diving at full stretch to keep it out.
Fulham gave as good as they got in the second half, too. Willian looked in inspired mood against his former club, forcing Kepa into a save at the start of the half and creating another opening soon after for Perreira.
With 11 minutes remaining Chelsea had a golden chance to take all three points. Minutes after coming off the bench, another January signing David Datro Fofana rounded stranded Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno on the edge of the box but Ream got back to make a sliding clearance off the line to save a certain goal and a share of the points.
