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Avram Grant's difficult start to life as Chelsea manager continued as his side were held to a goalless draw by Fulham, with John Terry suffering a suspected fractured cheekbone and Didier Drogba sent off.

Chelsea made a lacklustre start to the game and were lucky not to concede a penalty when Tal Ben Haim slipped in the box and headed against his own arm.

Driven on by the impressive Joe Cole, Chelsea came back strongly and appealed for a penalty of their own when Drogba thought he had been tripped by Chris Baird, while Andrei Shevchenko also stabbed inches wide from close range.

Chelsea looked likeliest to find the target as the second half began, but after Drogba was red carded in the 74th minute Fulham had several excellent chances to secure all three points.

Paul Konchesky was denied by Petr Cech and Diomansy Kamara dragged a shot wide as Chelsea, without a Premier League goal in the month of September, clung on to extend their unbeaten record at Stamford Bridge to 67 games.

Grant's attacking style was quickly evident with Salomon Kalou setting up Shevchenko to fire an 18-yard effort over the bar.

But in the third minute there was cause for concern when captain Terry required lengthy treatment after an accidental clash of heads with Fulham's Clint Dempsey.

Chelsea were quickly on the offensive but Fulham demonstrated they could be a danger on the break when a cross from Alexei Smertin was headed narrowly wide by Dempsey in the 14th minute.

In the 19th minute, Claude Makelele set up Shevchenko on the edge of the penalty area but again the Ukraine striker's effort posed little threat to Fulham keeper Kasey Keller, who collected the ball with ease.

Joe Cole was the next to try his luck for the Blues when he sent a low drive towards the left corner of the net but Keller managed to deal with the pace of the ball quite comfortably.

Drogba's return provided the midfielders with a focal point but the striker had largely been kept under control by Carlos Bocanegra and Aaron Hughes.

Shevchenko, rested for the Carling Cup win over Hull in midweek, combined with Kalou in the 32nd minute but again saw his shot whistle wide of the post.

Moments later a low cross from Joe Cole eluded the Fulham defence and Drogba at the far post as Chelsea increased the pressure on the visitors.

Drogba felt he had been fouled as he went for the ball and was booked by referee Martin Atkinson as a result of his protests.

Chelsea lost captain Terry at the interval and he was replaced by Brazilian centre-back Alex.

The home side almost started the second half with a goal when Joe Cole's cross was met by Kalou on the edge of the six-yard box.

But the former Feyenoord striker's shot was superbly saved by Keller who pushed the ball on to the post.

Drogba brought another fine save out of Keller in the 58th minute when he let fly from 20 yards.

Kalou was next to squander a chance to break the deadlock when he headed a cross from Ashley Cole wide of the target from eight yards.

It was clearly not Chelsea's afternoon as Kalou headed a free-kick from Makelele wide of the target in the 68th minute and then Joe Cole sent a shot inches beyond the far post moments later.

Chelsea's problems worsened in the 73rd minute when Drogba was shown the red card for a lunge on Baird.

Drogba, who had been yellow-carded for dissent in the first half, was sent off for a second bookable offence that will mean a one-match ban instead of three.

Konchesky almost stole all three points for Fulham five minutes from time but Cech pulled off a fine save to deny him and Chelsea were booed off by their fans at the end.

Teams

Chelsea Cech, Belletti, Ben Haim, A. Cole (Malouda 77), Terry (Alex 46), J. Cole, Makelele, Sidwell, Drogba, Kalou, Shevchenko (Pizarro 54)
Subs Not Used Cudicini, Ferreira
Booked Drogba
Sent Off Drogba
Goals

Fulham  Keller, Baird, Bocanegra, Hughes, Konchesky, Davies, Davis, Dempsey, Ki-Hyeon (Bouazza 73), Smertin (Murphy 82), Healey (Kamara 67)
Subs Not Used Niemi, Kuqi
Booked Davis
 Goals 

Attendance 41,837

Referee  M. Atkinson