Jurgen Klopp laments missed chances as Liverpool lose Premier League lead in Everton derby game

LONDON: Jorginho fired Chelsea to a 2-1 win at struggling Fulham on Sunday as Blues goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga seemed to be on the road to redemption after his Wembley mutiny with a highly impressive, match-saving display.Maurizio Sarri’s side took the lead through Gonzalo Higuain before Calum Chambers equalized at Craven Cottage.In an incident-packed first half, the much-maligned Jorginho restored Chelsea’s lead with his first goal since the opening weekend of the season.Chelsea were also indebted to Kepa for a series of superb saves that preserved their lead after the break, lifting the sixth-placed Blues within two points of fourth placed Manchester United.Blues boss Maurizio Sarri had dropped Kepa for Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Tottenham on Wednesday as punishment for the Spaniard’s refusal to be substituted during last weekend’s League Cup final defeat against Manchester City.But Sarri had insisted Kepa remained his “first choice” and the world’s most expensive keeper returned in place of Willy Caballero after his one-game demotion.“Kepa is a man,” Sarri said. “He understood the mistake he made, so he was able to react very well. It is very important for our group and our dressing room.The Chelsea boss, while pleased with the three points, felt his team could have been more ruthless in front of goal to kill the game off, especially as Fulham had the ball in the net at the death but were foiled by an assistant’s flag for offside.“We played very well only for 60 minutes, we could have killed the match.“We were not able to so in the last 20 or 25 minutes and we were in trouble because we were very tired mentally and physically after 120 minutes against Manchester City and a strong match against Tottenham.“But I am really very happy with the performance for 60 minutes and the result.”The performance of on-loan striker Higuain will also have lifted the spirits of the Chelsea manager. It was Higuain’s third goal in eight games since the Argentine joined from Juventus in January.“Higuain played a very good match. I think at the moment he is not at his best, but he is improving. I hope in a couple of weeks he will be able to arrive at his best,” Sarri said.Blues captain Cezar Azplicueta admitted Chelsea knew they had been in a game and that it was a tough encounter.“It was a tough game. In the first half we played very well and created a lot of chances to go in more comfortably at half-time.“We didn’t score and we know Fulham are fighting relegation, every point matters — they pushed hard and sometimes you have to dig in.“We know that we are entering into the last stage of the season where we have to take everything we can. We have a lot of targets to get. Hopefully we can get what we want”Fulham caretaker manager Scott Parker was under no illusions the task that faces his side between now and the end of the season. 
“It was a rollcoaster for me on the sidelines. In the first half we felt stung against a very good side, we didn’t put our stamp on the game in possession. 
That was a big focus for us. In the second half we did do that. The most important thing was we showed character.“We showed character with the ball, not just running hard, which is standard. Our center-halves got the ball and played, this is the way Fulham play and the way I want my team to play.“I am thinking long term in the best interests of Fulham Football Club. I will treat this as long term because I want to help this club.”