Chelsea's momentum in the Premier League title race suffered a significant blow as they were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by a resilient Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge. The result leaves Enzo Maresca's side eight points adrift of the league summit, a gap that feels like a missed opportunity following Arsenal's defeat earlier in the day.
Bournemouth's Early Pressure and VAR Interventions
Andoni Iraola's visitors, inspired by Leeds' midweek victory over Chelsea, began with intense pressing and created the game's clearest early chances. Antoine Semenyo thought he had given Bournemouth a sixth-minute lead, pouncing on a loose ball, but the goal was correctly ruled out by VAR for a marginal offside against Evanilson in the build-up.
Bournemouth's pressure continued moments later. Marcus Tavernier's shot was parried by Robert Sánchez, and Justin Kluivert beat Reece James to the rebound before going down under a challenge. The away side's penalty appeals were cut short, however, by the assistant referee's offside flag, much to Chelsea's relief.
Chelsea Struggle to Find Rhythm
Despite weathering the early storm, Chelsea struggled to impose themselves for much of the first half. Cole Palmer, making his first league start since the opening day, grew into the game and was involved in a move that saw Marc Cucurella head a Pedro Neto cross over the bar.
Bournemouth, however, remained the more threatening side before the break. Semenyo forced another save from Sánchez, and both Kluivert and the Ghanaian forward tested the Chelsea keeper again, leaving Maresca visibly frustrated on the touchline.
Second-Half Improvement Fails to Yield Winner
Chelsea emerged with more purpose after the interval. Enzo Fernández, Neto, and Palmer all had efforts saved by former Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic. The closest the Blues came was when substitute Alejandro Garnacho headed Neto's cross against the post.
As the game entered its final quarter, Bournemouth's defensive resolve, marshalled by the right-back combination of Adam Smith and Álex Jiménez, held firm. A late change saw winger Amine Adli introduced, but it was Semenyo who remained the principal threat, forcing one last save from Sánchez with a powerful left-footed drive.
The final whistle confirmed a hard-earned point for Bournemouth, who are now winless in six but will take heart from a disciplined display. For Chelsea, the draw represents a stalling of their recent progress, following impressive results against Barcelona and Arsenal, and leaves them with significant ground to make up in the Premier League chase.
