It was not the tastiest Chelsea performance in recent history, but revenge was sweet for Gianluca Vialli's side last night. Eight days after losing in Marseille in Group D, they strengthened their chances of securing a quarter-final place with a narrow victory secured by Dennis Wise's 27th-minute goal.

Chelsea's defending was often shaky, and the Marseille substitute Ivan de la Pena hit the post in the closing minutes. But the Premiership side go to Feyenoord next week in good heart if not in sparkling form.

Their determination to carve out a result was evident from the outset, with Vialli opting for a revamped attacking formation that saw Gustavo Poyet positioned just behind the strikers Tore Andre Flo and Gianfranco Zola.

With a compact central midfield comprising Wise, Didier Deschamps and Jody Morris, width was expected to be supplied by the full backs Albert Ferrer and Celestine Babayaro.

The main casualty of this redesign, and perhaps also a scapegoat for last week's defeat in France, was Dan Petrescu, who was not even given a place on the bench.

There was certainly a zest to Chelsea's play early on. Poyet shot just wide after only two minutes, then Zola was set up in front of goal by Flo only for Jacques Abardonado to arrive with a timely saving tackle.

Shortly after it was the turn of the hero of last week's encounter, Marseille's reserve goalkeeper Stephane Trevisan, to rescue his side again when Poyet nodded on Wise's corner to Babayaro, whose close-range header forced the goalkeeper to conjure a fantastic reaction save.

All was not going well for the French, keenly aware that a victory here would get them back into the race for a quarter-final spot. So there was little thought of going ultra-defensive last night as the coach Bernard Casoni stuck by the 3-4-1-2 formation which succeeded a week ago.

In the first 20 minutes Marseille put together enough neat passing moves to remind Chelsea of their threat on the break. Cyrille Pouget went close and Marcel Desailly needed to be alert to block Jerome Leroy's shot.

But on 27 minutes Chelsea eased their nerves by taking the lead. Marseille's defence failed to clear properly and the ball fell to Flo on the left of the area.

The tall striker then turned provider, chipping in a far-post cross which Zola, despite his lack of inches, did well to head down to Wise, who controlled the ball 12 yards out and slammed it past Trevisan.

But Marseille hit back smartly. A combination of Chelsea giving the ball away and Ibrahima Bakayoko's runs created a couple of chances which allowed Ed de Goey to show why he has just claimed the club record of 22 clean sheets in a season.

First he produced a diving stop to deny Bakayoko, then two minutes later did well to get his feet to a fierce strike from Leroy.

The only threat to Chelsea before the break was their disciplinary record. Frank Leboeuf was rightly booked for a theatrical dive after being pushed by Bakayoko, and Deschamps, who had been booked in the eighth minute, was lucky not to be sent off for a scything tackle on Leroy.

Chelsea began the second half desperately needing a second goal to help reduce the obvious threat of a Marseille equaliser. A flowing move just five minutes after the re-start almost answered their prayers.

Zola fed Deschamps and headed for the area ready for the return. When it arrived the striker lined up a shot from about 14 yards but unfortunately for the Italian a deflection off a defender sent the ball for a corner.

Minutes later Zola curled a 25-yard free-kick wide after Morris had been fouled, then a move which began with De Goey ended with Poyet almost setting up Flo in front of goal. But a defender just managed to intercept the through ball.

It was noticeable that Chelsea were now throwing more high balls into the Marseille area, and on 67 minutes Flo headed just wide from Babayaro's cross.

Feyenoord and Lazio shared a goalless draw in the other Group D match in Rotterdam last night. The Dutch side stunned the Italian title contenders 2-1 last week in Rome to take control of the group against all expectations.

Chelsea: De Goey, Ferrer, Leboeuf, Desailly, Babayaro, Morris, Deschamps (Di Matteo 79), Wise, Poyet, Flo, Zola (Harley 79). Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Sutton, Ambrosetti, Lambourde, Thome. Booked: Deschamps, Leboeuf. Goals: Wise 27.

Marseille: Trevisan, Cyprien (De La Pena 66), Luccin, Abardonado, Perez (Fischer 38), Brando, Leroy, Dalmat, Pires, Bakayoko, Pouget. Subs Not Used: Carasso, Martin, Keita, Martini, Moses. Booked: Pouget, Fischer.

Referee: J Fernandez Marin (Spain).