Chelsea held at home to Bournemouth, West Ham let relegation lifeline slip

by · The42

Premier League results 

********

CHELSEA’S POOR PREMIER League form extended to one win in seven games as Bournemouth held on for a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.

All four goals came in an eventful first half as the visitors took an early lead through David Brooks before Cole Palmer’s penalty levelled things.

Enzo Fernandez struck to make it 2-1 but predictably Chelsea could not hold on, Justin Kluivert equalising before the break.

Chelsea needed a result to restore a sense that things are progressing under Enzo Maresca. Instead they gave a performance that affirmed their frailties, from the absence of confident leadership to helm them in defence and midfield, to an inability to take the myriad of chances that fell their way.

Estevao was sensational on his return from injury, but beyond that nobody in blue looked sure of themselves when the ball came to them inside the penalty area. The summer transfer business that shuffled attacking players in and out has not remedied this team’s principal shortcoming.

Elsewhere, James Garner returned to haunt former club Nottingham Forest as he starred in Everton’s 2-0 win.

Advertisement

The midfielder spent a season-and-a-half on loan at the City Ground, helping them win promotion to the Premier League, but there was no room for sentiment as he scored one and made Thierno Barry’s second after the break in a virtuoso display.

It saw David Moyes’ side return to winning ways after three games without victory as they beat Forest for the second time in three-and-a-half weeks.

The win also pours more misery on their former boss Sean Dyche, whose side just cannot pull away from relegation danger.

Things looked on the up when they beat Tottenham 3-0 in mid-December, but three successive losses leaves them teetering in 17th position, just four points above West Ham. 

The Hammers meanwhile were unable to grab a relegation lifeline after they were held to a 2-2 draw in a breathless contest against bogey side Brighton.

The Hammers were leading 2-1 and, with Nottingham Forest losing against Everton, could have cut the gap to safety to just two points.

Given that Forest are the next visitors to the London Stadium, West Ham’s prospects would have suddenly looked a lot brighter.

But Joel Veltman scrambled home an equaliser to leave the Hammers still in deep trouble and in possession of a remarkable record of still having never managed to beat Brighton at home, in what now is nine Premier League meetings.

Earlier, Danny Welbeck scored one penalty and missed another. Lucas Paqueta gave away one penalty and scored another. It was that sort of evening, the end of which meant both teams have gone through December without registering a single win.

Finally, early goals from Joelinton and Yoane Wissa set Newcastle on their way to only their second away win of the Premier League season as they held off battling Burnley 3-1 at Turf Moor.

Joelinton’s first Premier League goal in 365 days put the Magpies ahead just 65 seconds in and six minutes later Wissa marked his first league start for the Magpies with his first league goal for them.

Josh Laurent dragged relegation-battling Burnley back into it in the 23rd minute, but despite a string of second-half chances they could not find an equaliser before Bruno Guimaraes settled it in stoppage time, leaving Burnley winless in 10 games and six points adrift of safety.

For Newcastle, it was a first win on the road since they beat Everton 4-1 on November 29, but it was not entirely convincing as Burnley dominated the second half before a gift of a third goal late on.