Clint Dempsey ready to torment Chelsea with forward role

Last December midfielder Dempsey scored twice, including a dramatic 89th-minute equaliser, as Fulham held Chelsea at Craven Cottage.

Ahead of this season's repeat fixture, Dempsey demonstrated he is still deadly in front of goal when he netted a stunner from long range as Fulham beat Russian club Amkar Perm 3-1 in the first leg of a final Europa League play-off last night.

It was, however, a win marred by an appalling second half body check on Johnson by Dmitry Belorukov, who was merely booked for what was a definite red card offence.

The ugly incident resulted in Johnson being taken to hospital with a dislocated collarbone that manager Roy Hodgson fears could keep the former England striker sidelined for up to two months.

Johnson had earlier given Fulham a third-minute lead with his third goal in four competitive appearances this term. His current value to Fulham is such that Hodgson admitted: "I'm tempted to say I'd prefer to have lost and have no injury to AJ."

But Dempsey is set to soften the blow of losing Johnson by volunteering to move from midfield to partner Bobby Zamora up front against Chelsea.

The United States international said: "Wherever the coach wants me to play, I'll try my best. We still have some good forwards so that is a choice he'll have to make. I'm just going to do my best to help the team win."

Dempsey still cherishes memories of his part in last season's match against Chelsea when he gave Fulham the lead, saw Frank Lampard score twice, and then equalised in from a Simon Davies corner.

He said: "Every time you score against a big team, especially your local rivals, it is definitely a highlight."

After an electric start to the new campaign in which rampant Fulham have scored nine goals in three Europa League matches and won their opening Premier League game at Portsmouth, Dempsey believes his side have nothing to fear against their more celebrated neighbours.

He said: "I would say we're now a complete footballing team. We play a good style of football, we create chances and we score goals.

We just have to stay tight defensively. We'll go into the game pretty confident."

Hodgson is bound to give a lot of thought to moving Dempsey forward from his usual starting position out on the left, especially after former Chelsea winger Damien Duff made a sensational debut as a second-half substitute against Perm.

Just two days after arriving from Newcastle for £4million, the Republic of Ireland international had only been on the pitch for 30 seconds when he made a scorching run down the left wing and put in a perfect cross which Erik Nevland touched on for the busy Zamora to shoot Fulham's third.

Hodgson said: "Damien's quality was there for all to see. His start couldn't have been better."

But instead of celebrating a win that sets his side up nicely for the return in Perm next Thursday — despite conceding that away goal to substitute Vitaliy Grishin — Hodgson was left fuming over the cause of Johnson's injury.

"It was an unbelievably blatant challenge," fumed the Fulham boss.

"The opponent quite cold-bloodedly smashed into AJ.

"I don't think things like that should happen in football, not without punishment. UEFA and FIFA are constantly trying to stop serious foul play.

Obviously it's not working, because it's not being stopped."

While the victory has boosted Fulham, Chelsea are on a high too with Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel saying the team have set their sights on seven straight League wins before facing Liverpool on 4 October.

The Blues go into Sunday's game on the back of two victories and also face Burnley, Stoke, Wigan and Tottenham before playing host to Rafael Benitez's side.

Mikel believes they could build a healthy lead at the top of the table by securing a maximum 21 points from their first seven games.

He said: "That will certainly do for us. If we win all seven it will be a good achievement, although at the moment we are taking each game as it comes."

Yuri Zhirkov (knee), Juliano Belletti (knee) and Alex (groin) are unlikely to feature for Chelsea again on Sunday as they have yet to return to full
training.