Asked if Chelsea could throw it away now, the Portuguese manager replied: "I don't think so, with this attitude I don't think so. We are showing we are ready for everything -- we can play football and we can fight."

Dutch winger Arjen Robben got the crucial goal in the fifth minute. But the real Chelsea hero, as so often this season, was goalkeeper Peter Cech, who saved a first half penalty from Scotland striker Paul Dickov to preserve the three points for Jose Mourinho's side.

The penalty save gave Cech a double cause for celebration as he extended the record for keeping a clean sheet in the Premiership having passed former Manchester United' goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel's old mark of 704 minutes in the 14th minute of the match.

It was a far from vintage performance from Chelsea and the evening was marred by the sight of Robben limping off shortly after he had waltzed past Lucas Neill and fired a low shot past Brad Friedel to put his side ahead.

But Mourinho ensured it was a night to remember for the small group of Chelsea fans who had made the long trip north by instructing his players to throw their shirts into the crowd at the end of the match.

"The spirit was absolutely amazing," Mourinho added before lambasting Blackburn for their negative tactics.

"If want to be polite I call it a special attitude," Mourinho said, before singling out Blackburn's recently acquired midfielder Robbie Savage for particular criticism.

"He made 20 faults, not one single yellow card and after that it is difficult to control emotions," Mourinho stormed.

Everton tightened their grip on fourth place in the table -- the final qualifying spot for the Champions League -- courtesy of a 1-0 win over relegation candidates Norwich.

A goalless draw looked the inevitable outcome on an atrocious Goodison Park pitch before Marcus Bent drew a great save from Robert Green and fellow substitute Duncan Ferguson forced the loose ball over the line.

A stoppage time volley from Lee Clark rescued a point for Fulham at home to Aston Villa in a game that featured three missed penalties.

Juan Pablo Angel put Villa ahead ten minutes after the interval but the Colombian striker's evening was ruined by the two penalties that he failed to get past Fulham's Dutch goalkeeper, Edwin van der Sar.

Fulham's Andy Cole also failed to convert a spot-kick but it was the home side who will have ended the night the happier.

Birmingham's loan signing of Walter Pandiani proved to be a master-stroke as the Uruguayan striker marked his debut with a goal after only 11 minutes against Southampton.

Nathan Blake then doubled the lead from the penalty spot four minutes before the break. Henri Camara pulled a goal back for Southampton after the break but Harry Redknapp's side were unable to find the equaliser that would have boosted their survival chances.

"That is possibly as good as we have played all season," Birmingham boss Steve Bruce said afterwards, before paying tribute to the impact Pandiani had made since his arrival from Deportivo La Coruna with just minutes to spare before the expiry of the transfer deadline on Monday.

"You don't play at that level for that long without having something special," Bruce said, before joking: "He doesn't understand a word of English which will probably help."

Alan Shearer scored his 250th Premiership goal when he put Newcastle ahead at Manchester City but the home side salvaged a point through Robbie Fowler's penalty.