<table style="width: 132px; height: 42px" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="132" align="right" border="1">  <tbody>  <tr>  <td><img alt="" src="/imagedata/2010/nov/chel.jpg" border="0" /></td></tr>  <tr>  <td>  <p align="center"><span style="font-size: 8pt">Chelsea's Ghanaian midfielder Michael Essien (right) fights for the ball with Fulham's Irish midfielder Damien Duff during their English Premier League match at Stamford Bridge in London. Pic/AFP </span></p></td></tr></tbody></table>Michael Essien's first-half header was enough to give 10-man Chelsea victory over west London rivals Fulham and keep them top of the Premier League table.<br /><br />Florent Malouda's pinpoint cross into the six-yard box was met firmly by the Ghanaian midfielder, who planted the ball into the bottom corner.<br /><br />However, Essien was shown a red card in the final moment of injury-time for a two-footed lunge on Clint Dempsey.<br /><br />Salomon Kalou wasted three gilt-edged chances to increase Chelsea's lead and the leaders had goalkeeper Petr Cech to thank late on when he tipped Dempsey's 25-yard shot over the bar.<br /><br />Chelsea were quickly on top in the opening exchanges as Fulham struggled to get the ball off their hosts. The Blues earned a succession of corners but failed to take advantage.

Michael Essien's first-half header was enough to give 10-man Chelsea victory over west London rivals Fulham and keep them top of the Premier League table.

Essien helps Chelsea clinch West London Derby against Fulham

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Essien helps Chelsea clinch West London Derby against Fulham

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