Cesc Fabregas grabbed an 88th-minute winner as Chelsea secured a 1-0 win at Queens Park Rangers to restore their seven-point lead in the Premier League title race.
QPR gave a good account of themselves and had looked like the better for much of the game, although they struggled in the final third.
Just when it seemed like Chris Ramsey's side were going to earn a hard-fought point in their relegation battle, Fabregas rifled home in the closing minutes to snatch the win.
Below, relive the drama with our live text commentary.
12.32pmGood afternoon ladies and gents and welcome to the live text commentary of Chelsea's trip to QPR. I'm Shane and I'll bring you minute-by-minute updates as both teams strive to edge that bit closer to their very different, yet equally important objectives at Loftus Road today.
12.34pmFor Chelsea, this one represents a chance for Jose Mourinho's side to restore their seven-point lead over second-placed Arsenal and move one step nearer to a fourth Premier League title - and third under the Portuguese.
12.36pmAnd Rangers, who sit 18th in the standings, will be looking to pull off what would be a huge upset by beating their West London rivals to leapfrog Hull City into 17th place ahead of the last six games of the season
12.38pmWith Game of Thrones set to return to our screens tonight, think of it in these terms my friends: Cheslea battle for the Iron Throne, while QPR are just happy to stay in Westeros. And if you don't watch the hit HBO show then, well, sort your life out then come back to me.
12.40pmSpeaking of blood-thirsty barbarians capable of smash the teeth of their enemies' mouths, Chelsea survived a visit of Stoke City last week and come into this one on the back of a 2-1 win, with Loic Remy netting the winner against the Potters with a strike that ensured Charlie Adam's 65-yard equaliser was in vein.
12.42pmIn fact, it is Remy who has been effectively entrusted with the task of taking the Blues over the finishing line, as he takes the baton from the injured Diego Costa - who will miss the next four games - in the final stretch of the title race. He's also up against his former club this afternoon, so let's see how he performs in quite an intriguing subplot.
12.44pmQPR, on the other hand, are battling for far simpler joys this season: survival. And we can't rule out Chris Ramsey's side from recording a huge upset here, as Rangers come into this one on the back of a 3-3 draw at Aston Villa, having thumped West Brom 4-1 at The Hawthorns.
12.46pmThat's four points from a possible six and their survival prospects look far brighter now than they did three weeks ago, when they went into the international break with a FIVE-game losing streak. Indeed, this one could just prove a little tougher for Chelsea than it looks on paper, my friends.
12.48pmLike one of The Hound's chickens, there's plenty more to chew on this afternoon but first let's have a look at who's on the front line for each side in this battle of West London, will we? Sure, but before that even, I recommend you watch a) Game of Thrones to get all these nerdy analogies and b) our preview of this afternoon's clash at Loftus Road. Click below:
12.51pmQPR XI: Green, Isla, Caulker, Onuoha, Hill, Phillips, Sandro, Barton, Henry, Zamora, Austin
12.52pmCHELSEA XI: Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry (c), Azpilicueta; Matic, Fabregas; Ramires, Willian, Hazard; Drogba
12.53pmQPR SUBS: McCarthy, Traore, Kranjcar, Dunne, Hoilett, Comley, Grego-Cox
12.54pmCHELSEA SUBS: Cech, Zouma, Filipe Luis, Mikel, Oscar, Cuadrado, Brown
12.57pmLet's start with the visitors then and I can confirm that Mr Mourinho makes two changes from the 2-1 win over Stoke, with Oscar and Loic Remy dropping out for Ramires and Didier Drogba. Bizarrely, Remy is nowhere to be seen today. Have you seen him? Call 555-mising strikers if you have information.
1.00pmOn to Rangers now and just the one change by Mr Ramsey, who replaces Karl Henry with Niko Kranjcar to sure up that QPR midfield. Charlie Austin starts as he looks for his 18th Premier League goal this season. What a good first foray into the top flight it's been for him.
1.03pmLet's have a closer look at QPR then and, having scored seven goals in their last two games, optimism could, and should, be high at Loftus Road despite the fact they're welcoming Chelsea. I suppose what will please Ramsey is the fact that those seven goals were scored by six different players, with Charlie Austin the only player to score more than once from both games.
1.06pmClint Hill, Joey Barton, Eduardo Vargas, Matt Phillips, Bobby Zamora have proven there is a sense of variety in the QPR side these days and that could be key. Still, we can't avoid the fact that Austin, with 17 Premier League goals from 29 games, is far and away their biggest goal threat this afternoon and one that Gary Cahill and John Terry will need to watch very, very closely.
1.08pmAnd who can Chelsea look to for a bit of inspiration? Well it's very much a case of take your pick, isn't it?
1.10pmOn one hand you've got Remy, who has bagged the winning goal in each of the Blues' last two game - Stoke and Hull - and he's a man certainly capable of thriving under the pressure of delivering in Costa's absence, but he's nowhere to be seen today oddly enough. However, the real star in this Chelsea side has to be Eden hazard anyway.
1.13pmOdds-on favourite to land the PFA Player of the Year award, the Belgian has been the stand-out player for Chelsea in a season that has seen the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Oscar and Costa struggle to reproduce their early-season form. Mourinho said that Hazard was 'by far' the best player in England recently and, despite needing to take many of his Chelsea-related comments with a pinch of salt, this is one that surely won't meet with much objection.
1.15pmLike Remy, Hazard has also found the net in the last two games and if he's not on his game this afternoon then Chelsea will definitely struggle.
1.18pmDID YOU KNOW? The last time Chelsea - who won the reverse fixture 2-1 at Stamford Bridge - managed a top-flight double over QPR was back in the 1968-69 season. Interesting, eh? What's more interesting is the fact that Clint Hill played one of those defeats. *may not be a real fact*.
1.21pmPREDICTION! Right we're about 10 minutes from kickoff so let's go ahead and get a prediction wrong, and I'm on a 3-1 away win here this afternoon. Despite showing some promising signs of a resurgence as of late, QPR don't have the firepower to truly test Chelsea and Mourinho's men will clasp one hand on the Premier League trophy today. Maybe.
1.24pm
Loic Remy is out with a muscular injury picked up in training yesterday. #CFC
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 12, 20151.27pmThat explains that then. Anywho, the players are out in the tunnel and we've got a brilliant atmosphere here ahead of kickoff. Both sets of fans in good voice early on.
1 minKICKOFF: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're off at Loftus Road ladies and gentlemen.
3 minQPR have had a decent enough start. No chances as of yet of course because, well, it's early days, but they've had a decent bit of possession.
6 minMatt Phillips should've done better here. The in-form QPR man finds himself in space down the right-hand flank, but he panics and fires the ball into the area without looking and Courtois gathers.
8 minOFF THE POST! Chelsea nearly take the lead in fortuitous circumstances when Willian's cross nearly catches Rob Green with his pants down. Thankfully for QPR they clear the danger.
10 minCesc Fabregas could've been mistaken for a superhero earlier in the season by virtue of some incredible feats, but he looks like an actual superhero today because he's wearing a face-guard to protect a broken nose. Had these devices been around in the mid 90s Steve Bruce would probably look like Brad Pitt.
12 min"John Terry, your family is scum" echoes around Loftus Road. This won't faze the Chelsea skipper too much who, if anything, will be buoyed by the abuse. Mock him at your peril.
15 minWe haven't seen a great deal of Eden Hazard as of yet. With Costa and Remy out injured, and Oscar on the bench after a woeful few months, there's more urgency on the Belgian staking further claim for PFA Player of the Year award with another stellar performance. 15 minutes and he's been quiet though.
17 minBig chance for Chelsea to get the likes of Cahill, Terry and Matic forward now as Azpilicueta wins a free kick close to the corner flag. Assist Man, whose alter ego is Cesc Fabregas, will whip this in....
19 minHe plays it along the ground to Cahill, whose left-footed shot on the edge of the box is blocked by Caulker. Chelsea have had the possession, with 67% in favour of the visitors, but QPR won't be worried because they've looked quite comfortable in this clash so far.
20 minGood defending by Cahill as he gets a crucial header away to prevent Steven Caulker from nodding home Matt Phillips's excellent cross. QPR to whip a corner in now, but Ramires clears.
23 minI can't repeat what QPR fans are chanting at poor John Terry now, because this is a family commentary, but suffice to say the Chelsea skipper is getting a very, very tough time of it so far from the stands. It's one of those games where Terry is going to nod home a 93rd-minute winner to seal a 1-0 win though, isn't it?
25 minHazard, playing behind Didier Drogba rather than on the wing, has looked really quiet this afternoon. Chelsea need to find a way to get him into the game because at the moment he's just a skinny bloke in a full Chelsea kit.
27 minI can't imagine this would've counted, but Branislav Ivanovic nearly scores directly from a throw-in, as his throw bounces on the six-yard box and glides narrowly wide. Rob Green had it covered.
30 minQPR fans urge their team on now as Zamora's flick-on for Austin is cleared out for a throw-in, which comes to nothing. Still, a decent half-hour or so from QPR.
33 minChelsea might think about putting Hazard back on the left wing before long because he really is been gobbled up by Sandro in the middle of the park. The Belgian doesn't look like the odds-on favourite for Player of the Year so far that's for sure.
36 minBobby Zamora tries to be a little too cute as he shoves Gary Cahill in the back to improve his chances of meeting Phillips's corner, but the ref spots it.
38 minQPR enjoying a decent spell here as Cahill is forced to concede a corner after Terry put him in a bit of bother. That corner is cleared, but the hosts have another now. Let's see if this brings something to cheer....but it doesn't as Sandro heads over.
40 minWe've had the biggest cheer of the afternoon after Austin bundles Terry to the floor in an off-the-ball incident. Terry was asking for it in truth as he started the minor coming together for no reason. QPR fans should enjoy that moment because it might be the only thing they have to celebrate.
42 minNot for the first time, I can't repeat what QPR fans are chanting, but it rhymes with 'tuck' and it's directed as Jose Mourinho. Football's great, isn't it.
44 minSHOT! QPR finish the half really well as Charlie Austin's stinging shot is well saved by Courtois. It's taken 44 minutes but it's QPR's best chance. Good way to go into the break.
45 minCHANCE!!!! Oh no Cesc Fabregas should've made it 1-0 just then, as Didier Drogba swings a leg at Willian's cross but gets nothing on it, and Fabregas runs on to it but he heads over the bar from close range.
2.16pmHALF TIME: QPR 0-0 CHELSEA
2.18pmWell then, a quiet first 45 minutes by all accounts, but you can tell the fuse is just begging to be lit in this one and when it does it'll be fantastic.
2.20pmThere's only been a few talking points: 1) John Terry's getting abused, vocally of course. 2) Eden Hazard, strong PFA POTY candidate, has been about as quiet as a mute in a library and, well, that's been it! Very little goal-mouth action to speak of, with Cesc Fabregas having a decent chance before the break but that's it.
2.22pmAnywho, as I said, there will be an explosion in the second half, but who's going to light the fuse? Stay tuned to find out.
45 minRESTART! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're back at Loftus Road. Chelsea, playing from left to right in this half, get us back underway and let's see what the second half throws up. I wouldn't rule out a upset after seeing that first half. QPR have shown a lot of bottle so far.
48 minCLOSE! Matty Phillips whips in as good a ball as you'll see this season but Bobby Zamora isn't quick enough to poke it home as the cross fizzes past the post. He's produced some fine deliveries in this game already Phillips and he's somebody that Azpilicueta will have to get closer to.
51 minSHOT! QPR the better side in this half so far as Clint Hill of all people cuts inside Cahill and looks to bend one beyond Courtois but, being a centre-back, he doesn't have these talents sadly. Very promising first six minutes or so in this half.
54 minBig Drogba just fires a rather tame shot over the bar from range there a moment ago in Chelsea's first foray into QPR's half since the break.
56 minSUB: Ramires gets substituted off for a little boy. Hold on that's Oscar, sorry. That should give Chelsea a little more spark in the final third, with Eden Hazard enduring a tough afternoon.
60 minChelsea enjoying their best spell of the half now as Hazard seems to come to life since Oscar's arrival. The Brazilian fizzes in a few corners, the second of which is particularly dangerous, but it comes to nothing.
61 minBOOKING: Dider Drogba goes into the book for a foul on Karl Henry I think it was. Could we be seeing youngster Isiah Brown soon? Drogba, at 37, surely won't last the entire game and Brown is the only forward on the bench. Stay tuned.
64 minSAVE!!!! Very decent save here as Courtois denies Phillips, who expertly spun Matic before swinging a boot at the ball but, in truth, the shot lacked a bit of direction.
66 minSHOT! Sandro is the next to try to test Courtois, but the Brazilian's volley is high and wide. Blame for the QPR fans for getting into his head with cries of "shoot". Should've passed.
70 minWe're into the final 20 minutes then and, as it stands, Arsenal are only five points behind Chelsea. Of course, the Blues still have a game in hand, but it's against resurgent Leicester City at the King Power so, you know, dropped points here might put the cat amongst the pigeons as far as the title race goes.
74 minBOOKING: Bobby Zamora becomes the second player booked after hauling down Azpilicueta, who had picked his pocket moments earlier. It's been an easy game for Andre Marriner by all accounts.
77 minWe've only got about 13 minutes left here, my friends, and QPR good value for this point at the moment. You can't rule out Chelsea nicking it though. They've just got so much talent on that field, and QPR players and fans will grow a little more nervous the closer the whistle comes. Could be a huge 13 minutes for both sides.
79 minSHOT! It's just not been Hazard's day, as the Belgian volleys out of the stadium (not really) with a wayward shot from outside the box.
80 minSUB: Juan Cuadrado replaces Willian for the next last 10 minutes, and what a way it would be to announce himself to England with a first goal. Elsewhere, QPR replace Sandro with Niko Kranjcar. Two positive subs from both sides.
82 minHearts were in mouths just then as Austin lashes a few volleys at goal but he doesn't enough power on them to threaten Courtois. Actually, the first volley struck the arm of Cahill, but his arm was down by his side so it would've been ridiculously harsh.
84 minSUB: Another QPR sub as David Hoilett replaces Bobby Zamora. Huge last 10 minutes here, my friends.
87 minGOAL!!!!!!!!!! QPR 0-1 Chelsea (Cesc Fabregas)
88 minSo cruel on QPR as Fabregas surely wins it for Chelsea with a neat side-footed finish to beat Green, whose shocking kick-out led to the goal. That should be that.
89 minLet's see if QPR can crowbar their way back into this, but it's very unlikely. Heads have dropped. Understandably so.
90 + 1 minTHREE MINUTES ADDED ON:
3.22pmFULL TIME: QPR 0-1 CHELSEA
3.23pmPlenty of QPR players, especially Rob Green, haunched down after letting a hard-fought point slip here. They deserved a draw, but they couldn't hold on as Fabregas denied them with an 88th-minute winner.
3.24pmThe win sees Chelsea restore their seven-point lead at the summit and how ironic that a former Arsenal man should kill the Gunners' feint hopes of a title win once and for all.
3.25pmAnywho, that's all from us folks. Thanks for joining our live text commentary and we'll see you next time. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
