All eyes were again on Rafael Benitez on Wednesday night as Chelsea hosted London neighbours Fulham at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.
The Spaniard would have hoped to have got some supporters back onside with the three points following his reception at the weekend, but the Blues drew 0-0 in a league match for a second consecutive time this season.
Read our minute-by-minute report of the match below.
Hello there and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of this evening's Premier League clash between London neighbours Chelsea and Fulham at Stamford Bridge.
The big question tonight is what sort of reception will Rafa Benitez get from the home fans? The Spaniard, who was appointed interim Blues boss last week, was roundly booed by supporters on Sunday when they drew 0-0 will Manchester City at the Bridge. Are they likely to give him another welcome like that this evening?
We have some team news in...
CHELSEA: Cech; Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cole; Romeu, Ramires; Hazard, Oscar, Bertrand; Torres
Benitez certainly isn't afraid to make the big decisions as Juan Mata is rested for tonight's match. The Spanish playmaker has been the Chelsea's most consistent performer this season, but he isn't in their starting lineup this evening.
CHELSEA SUBS: Turnbull, Ferreira, Cahill, Mikel, Marin, Mata, Moses
FULHAM: Schwarzer; Riether, Senderos, Hughes, Riise; Duff; Sidwell, Diarra, Karagounis; Berbatov, Rodallega
Meanwhile, that's three changes for Fulham as Mahamadou Diarra, Damien Duff and Hugo Rodallega all come in.
FULHAM SUBS: Etheridge, Kelly, Baird, Kasami, Petric, Frei, Dejagah
Right, now that the teams are in let's start speculating on what sort of a reaction the Chelsea fans will give Benitez this evening. I'm guessing that their attitudes towards the Spaniard won't have changed a bit since Sunday but a win tonight would the first step to getting them back onside.
Benitez was keen to play down his reception after his first game in charge, insisting that he couldn't understand what the fans were saying. However, his excuse was made to look somewhat flimsy when it was put to him that supporters weren't saying anything at all and that they were, in fact, booing. Loudly.
One thing for certain is that Chelsea need the three points tonight. They currently sit in fourth place in the table, but they could be eight points off top spot come 10pm if they lose and Manchester United beat West Ham United.
Tonight's visitors to Stamford Bridge sit in 10th place in the table but will be wanting to avoid a run of three consecutive defeats.
Fulham come into this one having been defeated by Sunderland and Stoke City in the past two weeks and they could easily find themselves in the bottom half of the table by tomorrow.
It's looking like a tough task for them as well considering their record at Stamford Bridge. The Cottagers have won just two of 39 encounters in all competitions on their neighbours' patch, with their last victory coming in, ahem, 1979.
However, they did manage to earn a 1-1 draw in this fixture last season, while it was also a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage.
Ten minutes to go until kickoff...
Right, prediction time. Fulham have been in decent form this season but they arrive at Stamford Bridge having hit a bit of a slump. It's sure to be another interesting night for the Blues in terms of crowd reaction, but I think that they'll beat their neighbours to give Benitez his first win as interim boss. Then they'll be chanting the Spaniard's name...
Here come the players out of the tunnel at Stamford Bridge!
We're just ironing out some technical issues at the minute, but we'll bring you live coverage as soon as we have it.
Okay, we've had eight minutes played but no goals as of yet.
The hosts are looking fairly comfortable on the ball at the moment, with Oscar and Hazard linking up well in midfield.
There's a particularly muted atmosphere here at Stamford Bridge. It seems that the Fulham fans are making most of the noise at the minute.
Corner for Chelsea...
But it comes to nothing. The home side build up another attack and Hazard's cross is cleared away by Duff.
It's the hosts who are doing all of the pressing right now, but Fulham are defending doggedly.
We've got the 16th minute on the clock and the Chelsea fans are signing 'there's only one Di Matteo' in tribute to their former boss.
From nowhere it's a half chance for Fulham as Riise crosses for Berbatov. However, the delivery is at an awkward height and the Bulgarian, who is captaining the team tonight in the absence of the suspended Brede Hangeland, put his effort over the bar.
It certainly hasn't been a classic first 20 minutes for Chelsea. There's been a real lack of invention in the final third.
Ramires tries to play in Hazard, but the pass is overhit and Schwarzer is out to collect.
It's a free kick for Chelsea now from about 30 yards as Rodallega handballs. Luiz looks like he fancies this...
It is the Brazilian who takes it, but he thumps it comfortably over the bar - to much hilarity from the Fulham fans behind the goal.
The visitors are certainly enjoying a bit more of the ball now...
CHANCE! It's the first attempt on target from either side and it comes from Torres. The Spaniard, who has been as quiet as a dormouse, gets the ball with his back to goal before turning quickly to shoot straight at Schwarzer.
Chelsea have another crack at goal now, but Oscar drags his tame effort wide.
Luiz goes on one of his surging runs forward, only to be dispossessed by Senderos. Openings have been few and far between in these first 33 minutes of action.
That is absolutely woeful from Hazard. The Belgian has a chance to deliver a free kick from a decent position out on the left side, but he hits the ball straight into the two-man wall.
Rodellaga has Fulham's first shot at goal and it's not a bad one. Fortunately for Cech it's hit straight at him and he manages to take the sting out of it.
Torres is causing Fulham some problems now. He's buzzing around the box and it takes three men to hustle him out of the ball and clear the danger.
Five minutes plus added time to play in this first half...
Torres is at the centre of things again for Chelsea, but Hughes is there to snuff out the danger.
HALF-TIME: Chelsea 0-0 Fulham
A chorus of boos ring out around Stamford Bridge as Chelsea go in goalless at the break against Fulham. In fairness, that was a dreadful 45 minutes of football. The visitors have set themselves pretty much as expected but the home side have failed to show any imagination or penetration in the final third.
There are five other 7.45pm kickoffs this evening on what is a busy night of Premier League action. Here they come...
PREMIER LEAGUE HALF-TIME SCORES:
Everton 1-1 Arsenal
Southampton 1-1 Norwich
Swansea 3-1 West Brom
Spurs 2-0 Liverpool
Stoke 0-0 Newcastle
Everton 1-1 Arsenal
Southampton 1-1 Norwich
Swansea 3-1 West Brom
Spurs 2-0 Liverpool
Stoke 0-0 Newcastle
Okay then, the second half is underway and it's Chelsea who have got us started.
There have been no changes for either side as of yet.
Chelsea are seeing plenty of the ball in these opening stages of the second half, but there's still a lack of dynamism about their play.
It's better from the home side as Oscar makes his way into the area. The Brazilian is about to shoot, only for Diarra to nick the ball at the decisive moment. That's got the crowd a bit more involved.
Promising again for Chelsea. Hazard drives towards goal but overhits his pass to Oscar and Schwarzer gathers. I'm sure most home fans are starting to wonder when Juan Mata will be introduced...
CHANCE! What a chance that is for Riise to open his account for Fulham! Riether plays the Norwegian in with a long ball, but he fluffs his shot with just Cech to beat and Chelsea avert the danger. He's usually so good on that trusted left foot.
That Riise opportunity has given Fulham a boost as Rodallega is muscled off the ball by Cahill in the area.
The Chelsea players are lining up for a shot outside of the area and it's Ashley Cole who has the final crack, which is blocked.
This game is opening up a bit now. Karagounis is the latest player to have a go and his weak drive is saved by Cech.
SUBSTITUTION: First change of the night comes from Chelsea and it's Juan Mata who comes on for Ryan Bertrand.
SUBSTITUTION: Diarra is now coming off for Fulham in place of Chris Baird.
It's risky from Senderos as he underhits his backpass to Schwarzer, but Torres just can't get to the ball.
You have to say that the more this stays goalless, the more Chelsea will push forward leaving themselves open for counter-attacks.
BOOKING: Branislav Ivanovic is the first player to go into the book as he argues with the referee over the decision to award Fulhama free kick from Romeu's handball. It's foolish from the Serbian, to say the least.
Shouts for a penalty from the Chelsea players and fans. The corner is whipped in and Senderos looks to be tussling with Ivanovic, but nothing is given. In fairness, Ivanovic was making a meal of that.
Still no breakthrough for Chelsea but they're starting to pin Fulham back now.
BOOKING: It's silly stuff from Luiz as he obstructs Riether following a Fulham counter-attack. The visitors have a free kick in a decent position.
SUBSTITUTION: Fulham make their second change of the night as Frei comes on for Karagounis.
The visitors take the free kick, but they work it poorly and Chelsea clear.
CHANCE! Berbatov plays in off for Riise on the edge of the area and the defender's powerful low shot forces the save from Cech.
CHANCE! Torres was nearly in there after showing some great skill to take it past two defenders. However, his shot is poor and Schwarzer smothers the ball.
Time is ticking here for Chelsea. We've got 10 minutes plus stoppage time to play here and it's still goalless.
Big penalty shout there for Frei as he goes down under the challenge of Ramires, but I think the referee has that one right as well. The Swiss went down very easily there.
SUBSTITUTION: Another change for Chelsea now as Marko Marin is handed his Premier League debut in place of Eden Hazard. It's something of a strange one considering that Hazard has been one of Chelsea's more attack-minded players this evening.
SUBSTITUTION: Fulham make a swap and it's like for like as Hugo Rodallega comes off for Mladen Petric.
The Chelsea fans are singing 'there's only one Di Matteo' again...
The hosts are pushing forward now in search of a winner and there are plenty of spaces being left at the back.
Half-chance for Chelsea there as Mata whips in a delightful ball in the direction of Torres, but Senderos head clear.
There will be three minutes of added time here at Stamford Bridge...
It's Fulham that are doing the pressing in these final stages and they have a corner.
Chelsea defend the set piece, break and get a corner themselves...
FULL-TIME: Chelsea 0-0 Fulham
They can't do anything with the corner and the referee's full-time whistle heralds plenty of boos at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea are held to a 0-0 draw by Fulham. That was a very poor showing from the home side indeed.
It's going to take something quite special for Rafael Benitez to get these fans on board following his second goalless draw in charge of the side. The team looked exceptionally flat but there's no denying that Fulham are great value for their point. Martin Jol's men defended doggedly and caused Chelsea plenty of problems on the break.
Anyway, that's all from me for tonight. I hope that you've enjoyed our coverage of the match, regardless of how rubbish it was. Enjoy the rest of your night and we hope to see you soon here at Sports Mole.
Written by
Jack Prescott
Jack Prescott
