Chelsea cemented their grip on fourth place in the Premier League as Kai Havertz struck twice to seal a 2-0 win over struggling Fulham on Saturday.
Thomas Tuchel's side warmed up for Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid with a ruthless display at Stamford Bridge.
Havertz netted in each half to lift Chelsea six points clear of fifth-placed West Ham in the race to qualify for next season's Champions League via a top-four finish.
West Ham have a game in hand, at Burnley on Monday, but Chelsea are looking up not down after they closed the gap on third-placed Leicester to just two points with four games left.
"We were spot on. It was what we demanded from ourselves. We showed the pride we are capable of, to do it in between two big games," Tuchel said.
"We knew Fulham gives everyone a hard time. I'm beyond happy. There was no lack of concentration."
Havertz's seventh and eighth goals of an underwhelming first season at Chelsea were a welcome sign the German playmaker is finally emerging from his funk.
Since arriving from Bayer Leverkusen, Havertz has endured a bout of coronavirus and a host of diffident performances that raised doubts about his desire.
But the 21-year-old thrived in the false nine role against Fulham in an indication he could still have a part to play in Chelsea's bid for a memorable end to the season.
"For sure, this is what we want if someone gets his chance. He scored two decisive goals and he was involved along with Timo Werner," Tuchel said.
Just as significant as Havertz's improvement, Chelsea remained rock solid at the back and have kept 17 clean sheets in 23 games under Tuchel.
The German coach's only worry was the sight of the influential Mason Mount being treated for a back injury which he played through before being taken off in the closing stages.
"I hope really that Mason is not a big thing and hopefully he can fully recover for Real Madrid," Tuchel said.
It was 42 years since Fulham last won at Stamford Bridge, but they almost snatched a shock lead when Antonee Robinson's 20-yard rocket was tipped over by Edouard Mendy.
Chelsea responded to that threat with a superbly crafted opener in the 10th minute. Thiago Silva's long pass was beautifully controlled by Mount and the midfielder slipped a pinpoint ball through to Havertz, who slotted a composed finish into the far corner.
Fulham weren't out of the hunt and Ademola Lookman's low drive was pushed away at full stretch by Mendy.
Hakim Ziyech's shot was well saved by Fulham keeper Alphonse Areola before Mendy alertly parried Ola Aina's strike after it took a wicked deflection off Reece James.
But Havertz was beginning to hit his stride at last and he doubled Chelsea's lead in the 49th minute.
Ben Chilwell's long pass picked out Havertz and he glided away from two defenders to find Werner.
Werner played a deft pass through to Havertz and he capped the flowing move with a clinical finish.
For all his critics in an uneven season, the much-maligned Werner is the first player to register double figures for both goals and assists in his debut season for Chelsea since Eden Hazard in 2012-13.
Third-bottom Fulham sit nine points from safety with four games remaining and look set for relegation to the Championship.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
'The Ice Road'
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Stars: Liam Neeson, Amber Midthunder, Laurence Fishburne
2/5
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Healthy tips to remember
Here, Dr Mohamed El Abiary, paediatric consultant at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, shares some advice for parents whose children are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan:
Gradual fasting and golden points - For children under the age of 10, follow a step-by-step approach to fasting and don't push them beyond their limits. Start with a few hours fasting a day and increase it to a half fast and full fast when the child is ready. Every individual's ability varies as per the age and personal readiness. You could introduce a points system that awards the child and offers them encouragement when they make progress with the amount of hours they fast
Why fast? - Explain to your child why they are fasting. By shedding light on the importance of abstaining from food and drink, children may feel more encouraged to give it there all during the observance period. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about controlling urges, doing good for others and instilling healthy food habits
Sleep and suhoor - A child needs adequate sleep every night - at least eight hours. Make sure to set a routine early bedtime so he/she has sufficient time to wake up for suhoor, which is an essential meal at the beginning of the day
Good diet - Nutritious food is crucial to ensuring a healthy Ramadan for children. They must refrain from eating too much junk food as well as canned goods and snacks and drinks high in sugar. Foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and proteins, like fruits, fresh meats and vegetables, make for a good balanced diet
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
