Fabregas gets late derby winner for Chelsea

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QPR 0 Chelsea 1

Cesc Fabregas scored an 88th-minute winner at Loftus Road – the visitors’ only shot on target – as Chelsea re-established a seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

It was rough on relegation-threatened QPR, who fought hard and were within sight of a result which would have moved them to within a point of safety.

The all-important goal came after a mistake by keeper Rob Green, whose sliced clearance dropped to Eden Hazard, who exchanged passes with Oscar before cutting the ball back from the left for Fabergas to fire home.

Jose Mourinho’s side had to absorb plenty of pressure and needed a fine reaction save from Thibaut Courtois to prevent them going behind shortly after the hour mark.

Bobby Zamora sent a low cross in from the right and Matt Phillips turned away from Nemanja Matic before seeing his shot palmed behind by the Chelsea keeper.

Courtois had also kept out a long-range effort from Charlie Austin in the first half and Sandro had a decent chance before the break but headed over from Phillips’ corner.

Chelsea went close in the first half themselves, with Willian’s mis-hit cross catching out Green and hitting the near post and Ramires acrobatically shooting wide from Didier Drogba’s left-wing cross.

But with top scorer Diego Costa sidelined and Loic Remy forced to miss the game against his former club because of a knock, the Blues lacked a cutting edge and were struggling before Fabregas broke the deadlock with his fifth goal of the season.

QPR (4-4-2): Green; Isla (Dunne 90), Onuoha, Caulker, Hill; Phillips, Sandro (Kranjcar 80), Barton, Henry; Zamora (Hoilett 83), Austin.
McCarthy, Traore, Grego-Cox, Comley.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Matic, Ramires (Oscar 56); Willian (Cuadrado 80), Fabregas (Zouma 90), Hazard; Drogba.
Subs: Cech, Luis, Mikel, Brown.

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