Chelsea ease past Fulham

Essien's close-range header proved the difference for Chelsea, who desperately needed a win against Fulham to restore their advantage at the top of the table after their 2-0 weekend humbling against Liverpool.

Salomon Kalou missed a hat-trick of chances to put Chelsea out of sight, before Essien was shown a straight red card for a two-footed lunge on Clint Dempsey, deep into second-half stoppage time.

The home side bossed the opening moments of the first half, but repeatedly failed to breach a stubborn Fulham defence.

With Carlos Salcido and Chris Baird both absent from the visitors' back line through injury, 19-year-old Matthew Briggs was called into Mark Hughes's starting XI. He looked calm and assured as Fulham repeatedly repelled Chelsea's flowing attacks.

Didier Drogba, starting for the Blues despite being diagnosed with malaria, struggled to make any impression throughout the first half - as the Cottagers worked tirelessly to make sure the hosts had minimal space to manoeuvre.

With chances at a premium, Chelsea made the breakthrough on the half-hour mark with their first real chance of the game.

Kalou - replacing the injured Nicolas Anelka in the home side's starting line-up - swung in a perfect cross from the right wing, allowing an unmarked Essien the simplest of headers from five yards.

The Ghanaian duly sent his header crashing past Mark Schwarzer, and the hosts had a lead they just about deserved.

Fulham stuck to their disciplined, organised game plan for the remainder of the half, but were ultimately grateful for the wayward finishing of Kalou as they went into the break just one goal behind.

The Chelsea striker had two glorious opportunities to double the Blues' lead in the final minutes of the half, but twice sent the ball wide of Schwarzer's right post.

First, the Ivorian clipped Florent Malouda's perfect low cross from the left past the upright with his standing leg from five yards out, before repeating the trick and dragging a shot past the left post with just the keeper to beat.

Chelsea emerged from half-time with renewed focus - presumably having had an earful from Carlo Ancelotti for their profligacy in front of goal - and Kalou created another golden opportunity to secure a two-goal cushion with 10 minutes played.

The 25-year-old Ivorian twisted Briggs inside out in the right channel, before skipping past the usually colossal Brede Hangeland and finding himself one on one with the keeper.

Kalou fired the ball through the onrushing Schwarzer's legs, but the Australian keeper got just enough on the shot to stun it, allowing Aaron Hughes just enough time to clear the ball off the line.

Chelsea were, once again, in cruise control, leaving Fulham desperately trying to brave the storm.

The dam almost broke again in the 67th-minute, however, and the visitors were once again indebted to Schwarzer for maintaining their narrow deficit.

A corner dropped teasingly to Malouda off the back off a Fulham shirt, but the Frenchman's vicious close-range shot was parried by the keeper, before Essien somehow contrived to send Jose Bosingwa's follow-up delivery wide of the right post.

With Chelsea becoming increasingly frustrated in front of goal, Dempsey almost shocked them in the 73rd-minute with a fabulous strike from 25 yards.

The ball was dipping and swerving, but Cech just managed to tip it over the crossbar - his first real bit of action for the night.

He was tested again with seven-minutes to go, however, as Fulham substitute Zoltan Gera stung his palms with a tremendous volley.

It proved to be the visitors' last chance of the match, as Chelsea looked to close up shop and wrap up the three points.

The drama was far from over, however, as Essien provided one last talking point three minutes into stoppage-time.

The Ghanaian launched himself into a brutal two-footed challenge on Dempsey, and Martin Atkinson immediately issued the red card.

The win puts Chelsea four points clear of Manchester United at the top of the Premier League table, as Fulham slip to 15th.