"Any momentum Chelsea had picked up in the final week of November, through outclassing Barcelona and matching Arsenal with 10 men, appears to have been stunted in December. After Wednesday's defeat at Leeds, a point against Bournemouth is no disaster but, with Arsenal's earlier loss to Aston Villa, it is a chance missed. Eight points separate them and the top of the Premier League."
"Bournemouth took a leaf out of Leeds's book and hounded Chelsea from the start. The visitors, behind within six minutes at Elland Road, were let off the hook twice early on. Antoine Semenyo thought he had given Bournemouth the lead when he pounced on a loose ball inside the area, only for the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) to intervene because Evanilson was marginally offside from Alex Scott's incisive pass into the area. The offside flag spared Reece James's moments later."
"A miscued clearance from Sanchez only added to Chelsea's jitters, but they weathered the early storm. Cole Palmer, making his first league start since the opening day of the season, grew in influence and was at the heart of a move that ended with Marc Cucurella heading Pedro Neto's cross over at the back post. After Liam Delap was forced off with a shoulder injury, Bournemouth rallied again."
Chelsea's momentum from late November stalled in December after a defeat at Leeds and a draw against Bournemouth left them eight points adrift of the Premier League leaders. Bournemouth pressed intensely from the start and were denied early by VAR rulings, including Evanilson marginally offside from Alex Scott's pass and an assistant's flag that stopped a likely penalty claim. A miscued Robert Sanchez clearance increased Chelsea anxiety, but Sanchez made several important saves. Cole Palmer started and grew into the game before being substituted. Chelsea produced more attacking pressure after the interval, with efforts saved by Djordje Petrovic and a Neto cross striking a post.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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