THIS, for Joao Felix, was a baptism of fire. The tricky Portuguese forward is the latest wantaway winger to join Chelsea in a bid to rejuvenate his career. He was thrown in at the deep end here — named in the starting lineup for the West London derby. “WHO ARE YA?” cried the Fulham faithful every time he received the ball. He was Chelsea’s only bright spark… until he got himself sent off for a horror challenge on Kenny Tete.

The 23-year-old is on loan from Atletico Madrid until the end of the season and made an excellent start here, twisting out of trouble and showing the sort of guile and poise that was expected of him. But if his enthusiasm and exuberance got him out of trouble in the first half, it got him into trouble in the second. His studs-up challenge on Tete was dangerously high and referee David Coote duly dismissed the Portugal international.

Fulham found themselves above Chelsea in the league table ahead of a West London derby for the first time since a 1–1 draw here in April 1983. The question was whether they could make their advantage in the table count.