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Pedro\u2019s early goal and a late strike from Ruben Loftus-Cheek saw Chelsea earn an unconvincing 2-0 win over Premier League bottom club Fulham.<\/p>\nPedro\u2019s early goal and a late strike from Ruben Loftus-Cheek saw Chelsea earn an unconvincing 2-0 win over Premier League bottom club Fulham.<\/p>\n
Pedro struck after four minutes but the Blues\u2019 performance lacked fluidity and they were relieved when substitute Loftus-Cheek struck eight minutes from time.<\/p>\n
The performance of floundering Fulham, still with just one away point this season, illustrated the size of the task facing Claudio Ranieri.<\/p>\n
Ranieri faces Leicester, whose improbable Premier League title win he masterminded, with Fulham on Wednesday, when Chelsea go to Wolves.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, next Saturday\u2019s visit of Manchester City to Stamford Bridge represents a sterner test for Chelsea.<\/p>\n
Ranieri was sacked by the Foxes nine months after the 5,000-1 title triumph.<\/p>\n
The 67-year-old\u2019s return to the Premier League saw the Cottagers\u2019 seven-match losing streak come to an end, with a 3-2 win over Southampton.<\/p>\n
This, his second match in charge, was a return to where the Italian came to prominence in English football, as Blues boss from September 2000 to May 2004.<\/p>\n
And it was one of Ranieri\u2019s former players who created the opening goal.<\/p>\n
N\u2019Golo Kante, key in Leicester\u2019s memorable title win in 2015-16, showed his midfield bite to dispossess Jean Michael Seri.<\/p>\n
Kante, criticised by Maurizio Sarri for his display in the previous week\u2019s loss to Tottenham, strode forwards and fed Pedro on the right.<\/p>\n
The Spain winger cut in on his left and drilled a low shot across goal into the bottom corner.<\/p>\n
It was Kante\u2019s second assist in 14 league games, as many as he managed in his first two seasons with Chelsea, as Antonio Conte\u2019s shield in deep midfield.<\/p>\n
Fulham, without former Chelsea forward Andre Schurrle due to a twinge, pressed well, but rarely threatened, bar Calum Chambers\u2019 25-yard shot at Kepa Arrizabalaga.<\/p>\n
Sergio Rico stood upright to save from Olivier Giroud, who had been preferred to Alvaro Morata, and then blocked a dangerous Giroud-bound Mateo Kovacic cross.<\/p>\n
There were missed-placed passes aplenty from both teams and little goalmouth action.<\/p>\n
Ranieri, known as the Tinkerman for rotating his options at Chelsea, had wanted more.<\/p>\n
He had promised to \u2018tinker clever\u2019 with Fulham, but needs must, and he made two half-time changes here.<\/p>\n
Ryan Sessegnon and Stefan Johansen were withdrawn for Floyd Ayite and Aboubakar Kamara, sparking improvement.<\/p>\n
Antonio Rudiger had to be alert to slide to redirect Cyrus Christie\u2019s cross out for a corner. Chambers headed the resulting set-piece at Kepa.<\/p>\n
Tom Cairney next teed-up Chambers, whose effort was parried by Kepa.<\/p>\n
Chelsea could consider themselves fortunate it was not a more potent finisher than the on-loan Arsenal defender-turned-midfielder.<\/p>\n
Morata replaced the ineffective Giroud and should have scored within three minutes.<\/p>\n
Hazard\u2019s shot was parried by Rico to Morata, whose volley went high and over when it should have ended up in the net.<\/p>\n
There were brief moments of skill from Hazard. He surged forwards, playing a one-two with Loftus-Cheek before having the vision to find the England midfielder again.<\/p>\n
And Loftus-Cheek netted a fierce drive to ease any late anxieties Chelsea might otherwise have had.<\/p>\n