Chelsea lost captain John Terry with a fractured cheekbone as Avram Grant's first home game in charge ended in stalemate and controversy.
The goalless draw with neighbours Fulham saw Chelsea take their unbeaten home league run to 67 games but it was their fourth successive Premier League game without scoring.
To compound matters for Chelsea, Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba, playing his first game since injuring his knee against Aston Villa in early September, was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 73rd minute.
England captain Terry will undergo surgery on Saturday night, but could potentially be out up to six weeks with the injury, meaning he would miss England's Euro 2008 qualifiers against Estonia and Russia.
His absence would also be a massive blow to Grant as he bids to turn Chelsea's fortunes around.
He was already without England winger Shaun Wright-Phillips, absent after pulling a hamstring against Hull in the Carling Cup in midweek, and Michael Essien - also injured.
The Israeli was given a warm welcome by the Chelsea fans as he took his place in the home dugout for the first time. But they turned on billionaire owner Roman Abramovich who was sat in the upper tier of the Shed stand among the fans.
As their frustrations boiled over, they could be heard shouting Jose Mourinho's name in his face as the bemused Russian looked on.
Before the game, fans had distributed leaflets demanding the return of Jose Mourinho as coach and revealed plans to stage a protest walkout at half-time, which did not materialise.
Grant's attacking style was quickly evident with Salomon Kalou setting up Andriy Shevchenko to fire an 18-yard effort over the bar.
But in the third minute there was cause for concern when captain Terry required lengthy treatment after an accidental clash of heads with Fulham's Clinton Dempsey.
Chelsea were quickly on the offensive but Fulham demonstrated they could be a danger on the break when a cross from Alexei Smertin was headed narrowly wide by Dempsey in the 14th minute.
In the 19th minute, Claude Makelele set-up Andriy Shevchenko on the edge of the penalty area but again the Ukraine striker's effort posed little threat to Fulham keeper Kasey Keller, who collected the ball with ease.
Joe Cole was the next to try his luck for the Blues when he sent a low drive towards the left corner of the net but Keller managed to deal with the pace of the ball quite comfortably.
There was plenty of attacking endeavour and desire from Chelsea but little in terms of real threat.
Drogba's return provided the midfielders with a focal point but the striker had largely been kept under control by Carlos Bocanegra and Aaron Hughes.
Shevchenko, rested for the Carling Cup win over Hull in midweek, combined with Kalou in the 32nd minute but the Ukraine striker again saw his shot whistle wide of the post.
Moments later a low cross from Joe Cole eluded the Fulham defence and Drogba at the far post as Chelsea increased the pressure on the visitors.
Drogba felt he had been fouled as he went for the ball and was booked by referee Martin Atkinson as a result of his protests.
Four minutes before the break, a cross from Shevchenko caused Fulham's defence a moment of panic but neither Terry or Drogba could capitalise on the opportunity with the Ivorian finally heading into the side-netting.
Chelsea lost captain Terry with at the interval and he was replaced by Brazilian centre-back Alex.
But the mass walkout by fans did not appear to happen with the majority of the 41,837 crowd remaining in their seats.
Chelsea almost started the second half with a goal when Joe Cole's cross was met by Kalou on the edge of the six-yard box.
But the former Feyenoord striker's shot was superbly saved by Keller who pushed the ball on to the post.
Drogba brought another fine save out of Keller in the 58th minute when he left fly from 20 yards.
Kalou was next to squander a chance to break the deadlock when he headed a cross from Ashley Cole wide of the target from eight yards.
It was clearly not Chelsea's afternoon as Kalou headed a free-kick from Makelele wide of the target in the 68th minute and then Joe Cole sent a shot inches beyond the far post moments later.
Chelsea's problems worsened in the 73rd minute when Drogba was shown the red card for a lunge on Chris Baird.
Drogba, who had been yellow-carded for dissent in the first half, was sent off for a second bookable offence that will mean a one-match ban instead of three.
Paul Konchesky almost stole all three points for Fulham five minutes from time but Cech pulled off a fine save to deny him and Chelsea were booed off by their fans at the end.
Teams:Chelsea Cech, Belletti, Terry (Alex 46), Ben-Haim,Ashley Cole (Malouda 77), Sidwell, Makelele, Joe Cole, Kalou,Drogba, Shevchenko (Pizarro 54).
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Ferreira.
Sent Off: Drogba (74).
Booked: Drogba.
Fulham Keller, Baird, Hughes, Bocanegra, Konchesky,Ki-Hyeon (Bouazza 73), Smertin (Murphy 82), Davis, Davies,Healy (Kamara 67), Dempsey.
Subs Not Used: Niemi, Kuqi.
Booked: Davis.
Att: 41,837
Ref: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).
