Pedro, Ruben Loftus-Cheek Lead Chelsea Past Struggling Fulham

Chelsea claimed a hard-fought 2-0 win over Fulham at Stamford Bridge on Sunday to get back to winning ways in the Premier League.

Pedro handed the Blues the lead inside four minutes. N'Golo Kante won the ball on the half-way line and surged forward, before slipping Pedro through to score Chelsea's 1,000th Premier League goal at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea struggled to add to their tally until substitute Ruben Loftus-Cheek book-ended the win with his 82nd-minute strike after a neat one-two with Pedro.

Kante Proves Maurizio Sarri Wrong with Pedro Assist

After Chelsea's 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in their previous match, boss Maurizio Sarri was critical of Kante because he "attacked too much the other box," per Goal's Harry Sherlock.

However, the Frenchman played a key role in the Blues' opener when he displayed impressive attacking initiative.

The midfielder's pressing saw him dispossess Jean Michael Seri and open up a great deal of space in Fulham's half, which he took full advantage of with an incisive run and pass to Pedro.

Match of the Day host Gary Lineker had deja vu, while Squawka's Muhammad Butt felt his assist proved a point to Sarri:

Squawka Football shared further insight into Kante's contribution:

While Kante may not be a regular contributor of goals and assists, allowing him freedom to roam makes the most of his speed, energy and tireless running.

What's more, while Jorginho may add control to the Blues' midfield alongside him, he does little for their penetration. Encouraging the likes of Kante to break forward when the opportunity presents itself could help in that regard.

Fulham Show Encouraging Improvement Under Claudio Ranieri Despite Defeat

The defeat has left Fulham still searching for their first clean sheet of the season, but there are some signs of encouragement for the Cottagers under Claudio Ranieri, who replaced Slavisa Jokanovic in November.

Fulham shipped 31 goals in 12 games prior to his arrival, and while that is yet to significantly improve—they've conceded four in his two games in charge—Ranieri's presence on the touchline likely had a beneficial effect on Sunday.

After conceding so early, Chelsea could have run away with the match and racked up a one-sided scoreline. Had Jokanovic still been in charge, Fulham probably would have collapsed, just as they did in their 4-1 defeat to Arsenal in October.

However, they often frustrated the Blues before Loftus-Cheek scored their second, causing the hosts to lack fluidity in their attack.

Football commentator Ian Darke praised Ranieri's impact on his new side:

Had Cyrus Christie or Calum Chambers been more clinical on the break—they both shot straight at Kepa Arrizabalaga after getting in shooting positions—the Cottagers may even have found a way back into the match.

Ranieri was reasonably pleased with his side's performance:

There's still room for much more improvement, but it was an encouraging showing against an elite opponent. 

Ranieri guided them to a 3-2 win in his first match in charge against Southampton, and they'll likely begin to pick up more points if they keep improving in the coming weeks.

What's Next

Chelsea travel to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday, the same day Fulham host Leicester City.