Cech: Fulham will feel blues this time

PETR CECH insists Chelsea’s bad attitude cost them three points at Fulham last season and he is determined not to let it happen again.

Jose Mourinho’s champions today make the short trip to Craven Cottage, where they were beaten 1-0 in a bad-tempered Premiership clash in March.

Chelsea’s William Gallas was sent off for stamping on Heidar Helguson and the Blues were fined for failing to control their players when they surrounded referee Mike Dean.

After the final whistle, fans of both teams invaded the pitch and ugly scenes brought derby day to a close.

Cech, 24, said: “We remember what happened last season. We don’t want to repeat it.

“They had a better attitude than us on the day. They scored first, put in a big effort and they won the game.

Everyone in our team remembers this and we want to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

The loss did not stop Chelsea taking a second successive title but the memory is fresh in the minds of the players. Didier Drogba said: “We remember that game last season and the way we finished the season wasn’t good.

“Now we need to take some points and we have to win because we want to move back to the top of the league.”

Chelsea will return to the top spot in the Premiership if they beat Fulham and Manchester United drop points against Reading.

Cech said: “It’s a London derby, our grounds are 10 minutes apart, and there are lots of emotions. But we must try to treat it like a normal Premiership game.

Cech is back in the clean sheet business after missing the start of the season as he regained fitness following surgery on both shoulders in the summer.

He has let in only one goal in four games since replacing Carlo Cudicini.

“My season started later than I would have liked but I’m happy with my performances,” he said. “You never know how you will be after an injury.”

The dangerous life of a goalkeeper was emphasised by Shay Given’s serious stomach injury, suffered in a collision with West Ham’s Marlon Harewood last weekend.

Given has spent most of the week in hospital after an emergency operation on a perforated bowel and is expected to be out of action for weeks. Cech said: “It’s always difficult when you dive for a ball and someone jumps into your body but it’s part of the game.

“Shay was unlucky but the most important thing is for him to forget because in the future he will have to go again for a ball like this. Sometimes your mind becomes blocked because you know what happened last time.

“The most important thing is to get over this in your head. A few days after my injury, I couldn’t dive and I had to prepare myself to dive in the games. You have to be strong in your mind.

“Shay has been one of the best goalkeepers in the Premiership for years. He is mentally strong enough to do it.”

Arjen Robben is another player on the return from injury and he is expected to start his first Chelsea game since the Premiership opener against Manchester City.

Injury-jinxed Robben, who has been limited to just 52 starts in more than two years at the club, has been out with a calf injury.

He came back as a substitute against Liverpool on Sunday and could start instead of Michael Ballack, who is suspended.