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A rare Ricardo Carvalho goal was enough for Chelsea as they hung on to beat Middlesbrough at Stamford Bridge.

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The defender headed home Wayne Bridge’s free-kick inside six minutes. But the visitors were unlucky not to claim at least a share of the spoils as they were denied by the woodwork on three occasions. Substitute Afonso Alves hit the post from 35 yards and both he and defender David Wheater headed against the bar in a late goalmouth scramble. Chelsea went into the game without top scorer Frank Lampard, who was suffering from a virus, while Gareth Southgate named an unchanged Boro side. The home side started brightly and after Didier Drogba had tested Mark Schwarzer from distance, Carvalho headed the home side in front.