But all that possession may lead to something after all! Ademola Lookman wins a free-kick on the edge of the area.

A manager of a League Two side said earlier this summer that he went to make a hot chocolate while watching a game, came back in two minutes later and the same team still had the ball on the halfway line.

I think it must have been Fulham he was watching. They have the ball for an age and still end up going back to their goalkeeper.

Postpublished at 62 mins

62 mins

West Ham 0-0 Fulham

Angelo Ogbonna has gone 12 rounds with Mitrovic today and it's taken its toll. He goes down hollding the top of his leg and he's done for the night. West Ham were about to make an attacking change but first they'll have to send on Issa Diop.

Image source, Getty Images

An hour gone, any sign of a goal? Seb Haller brings down a long ball over the top and Pablo Fornals takes it off him, but can't get a shot on target. We're in need of someting fresh out there please.

Oooofff! A big collision there! Aleksandar Mitrovic chases a bit of a lost cause, West Ham keeper Lukasz Fabianski comes out for it and takes the ball. He also clobbers both Mitrovic and Hammers defender Angelo Ogbonna.

Mitrovic is not happy and there's a bit of a square up. The net result is a booking for the striker.

Ogbonna does not get a booking, but he is booked baout 30 seconds later for a high boot on Tom Cairney. Blood pumping.

Close again! From a corner, Jarrod Bowen lamps in a 25-yard piledriver, it hits the back of Tosin Adarabioyo, spins up and lands just beyond the post...

Great strike! And what a save that is!

Aaron Cresswell hammers the shot in from 19 yards, over the wall, and the merest touch from Alphonse Areola pushes it onto the crossbar!

Cresswell is fuming as the referee gives a goalkick but there was definite glove on that. Brilliant keeping.

Another foul, but this could be important as West Ham win a free-kick right on the edge of the area. Unlucky for Harrison Reed who was trying to volley it clear but ended up booting the alert Tomas Soucek in the chest. Three-man committee over the ball...

A string of cheap fouls to start the second half. Can either side setlle into a rhythm?

And we're off again!

Here they come, re-emerging through the bubbles.

Fourteen goals in three-and-a-half games so far. Don't let us down West Ham and Fulham!

Chelsea

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard speaking to BBC Sport: "It was enjoyable. This is a team that is so difficult to play against. They are a great team with an incredible coach. The reaction was brilliant to the goal, we created a lot and were really secure. I'm happy with everybody.

"The balance of the team felt great. There were so many good things in what we were creating, we scored two goals from set-pieces so yeah, I'm happy now. I don't want to get too carried away but I'm happy."

On Hakim Ziyech: "It was an amazing performance. When you think about his journey here, he was probably at his best today. He has a good confidence and arrogance about him. He will keep trying those passes and keep trying to get those assists that we saw today.

"I thought the balance and the way we wanted to play... [Mateo] Kovacic is a great example of what this squad needs to be. You need people to look after themselves and to come in and lift their game which he did."

On Thiago Silva: "I knew from afar he was a top player but to see him close is great. I remember being 36 and playing and I certainly didn't look as fresh as him. He is rubbing off on people so long may that continue.

"Last year was slightly transitional. We all feel the expectation of the players who have come in. We want to deliver. Now we are starting to see those moments. The reason I won't get ahead is because I know the gap that was there in points with Liverpool and Manchester City."

Sheffield United

Image source, Getty Images

More from Chris Wilder on Sky Sports: "We have to look at the opposition - we're never going to dominate possession or have big periods of us on the ball so service is back to front because these teams press well and have energy. It's the best league in the world and the best players in the world.

"I'm not too critical of my players, when we do close the gap against these kind of teams we have to be on top of our game. Keep possession, get a foot hold in the game and have a structure out of possession. We're plugging a gap at left centre-half after losing Jack O'Connell but we have to get on with it. Our fate in this division will not be decided against the big teams like Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City, it will be decided in the 10 or so games now in the run up to Christmas.

"You have to clear your head when you get a defeat and a bloody nose as we have done today, three boys are now going off on international duty, so there's a few days off for the other boys. I don't like teams when they talk about team spirit, it's easy when you're winning to talk about team spirit and be all pally but this is where we really get tested."

Sheffield United

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder speaking to Sky Sports: "It was just poor goals - from our point of view. Great bit of play from Chelsea for the first, but the second and fourth goals were avoidable. Someone said that for the third goal there was an incident in the far corner we were maybe a bit unfortunate with. We've given away poor goals to world class players, because that's what we're up against with teams like this."

On incident for third goal: "When you get to the level of scrutiny in the Premier League then you'd like to think it's picked up because you're not allowed to block now and yes there was an incident. It's disappointing, the manner of conceding goals is disappointing. The way we turned the ball over - Chelsea either keep it away from you or hit you on the counterattack and punish you.

"There was a mistake from our keeper for the fourth goal, whatever you have to do to keep the ball out of the back of the net you should be doing. It was a scruffy goal from our point of view that should've been dealt with quite easily."

On conceding goals: "The goals came in quick succession - when it went to three and then four it's so disappointing because the third goal time-wise was on 75 minutes. We talked about doing that against Liverpool and Man City, conceding goals at that point in the game - the game becomes stretched and you're more adventurous maybe allowing more in terms of a tactical point of view. We can't be naive because teams like this can blow you away. At 75 minutes it's 2-1 and we had a bit of the ball but that was the disappointing thing - the way that we just kept turning over the ball. We let the game run away from us."

Started well, and got steadily worse as a spectacle. West Ham will feel they should have taken the lead in that early flurry.

Fulham rather made a hash of that chance...

Aleksandar Mitrovic is played in behind the Hammers defence, he's one on one with the keeper but neither shoots nor squares the ball to a team-mate and the chance has gone.

And he was offside anyway. Forget it!

It doesn't lead to much, just a corner, but how good was that from Ademola Lookman? He controls a clearing header with one touch, sprints over halfway and then pirouettes delightfully before spraying the ball out to the far side. Fulham win a corner but it leads to nothing of note.

A bit early for such talk I reckon Chris...

West Ham now back on top in the momentum stakes but it's all a bit of a midfield battle at the moment.