Premier League: Chelsea’s struggles continued on Tuesday as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge, extending their winless Premier League run to five games.
Despite a dominant first-half display, the Blues failed to capitalize, leaving head coach Enzo Maresca frustrated.
Cole Palmer opened the Premier League scoring with his 14th league goal of the season, but Chelsea squandered further opportunities to extend their lead.
Bournemouth fought back in the second half, equalizing through Justin Kluivert’s penalty before Antoine Semenyo fired them into the lead.
Reece James, returning from another injury-plagued season, rescued a point for Chelsea with a stunning stoppage-time free-kick, but the draw leaves the Blues’ top-four hopes under threat.
Maresca expressed concern over his side’s inability to maintain their composure after conceding. “The game was completely in our control,” he said. “The negative thing is that we changed how we played after conceding. It’s something we need to improve.”
James, reflecting on his crucial goal, admitted Chelsea need to be more clinical. “We had a few clear-cut chances in the first half that we should have taken. When you don’t take them, it can come back to hurt you,” he said.
Chelsea could drop out of the top four if Newcastle secures a win over Wolves on Wednesday, adding urgency to the Blues’ need for a turnaround in form.