Chelsea eased to three points at home to neighbours Fulham for the perfect prelude to their Champions League tie against Barcelona next week. The Blues moved quickly ahead as Nicolas Anelka scored after 51 seconds, but Erik Nevland levelled only three minutes later.

Florent Malouda fired Chelsea back in front from Didier Drogba's cross and then Drogba slotted home Anelka's pass.

Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink said, "We needed the points for today, but we are always trying to look ahead as well, especially with such a big game coming up.

"We wanted to give Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba the chance to play up front together, to increase our options in the future.

"If we ever need another gear in another game we must be able to adjust, to play differently."

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson reflected on a poor start: "We made a bad start and then went 2-1 down after our defender slipped, so you're trying very hard not to concede another goal after that.

"Unfortunately they caught us on the break with a third and from then on you are just trying to avoid embarrassment.

"We thought we could come here and get a result, but we were nowhere near our best today and we paid the price."