Chelsea vs Bournemouth

Graham Potter and the Blues will be hoping for a fast (re)start to kickstart their top-four push as Chelsea host Bournemouth in the Premier League return.

(AE) What a move this would be for a Chelsea team already loaded with attackers, just the latest sign that no one besides (probably) Kai Havertz and Mason Mount are safe in their status with Thomas Tuchel’s Blues. This time around, Lukaku scored 15 goals in 44 appearances (all competitions – 8 in 26 in the Premier League), bringing his Chelsea career total to 15 goals. It is reported (below) that Chelsea will pay the Norwegian side $12.7 million for Fofana. Palace calms down, earns deserved win at Bournemouth(AFC Bournemouth 0-2 Crystal Palace): Patrick Vieira was bitterly disappointed to see his side not only lose 3-0 to Fulham on Monday, but also finish the game with just nine men in a truly disastrous situation. (JPW) Improved Saints switch off, and Cottagers seize all the points (Fulham 2-1 Southampton): Southampton was unlucky to be behind after a shot deflected off James Ward-Prowse and flew into the goal, and those are the kind of things that happen when you’re down the bottom of the table. Bees learn from mistakes, keep on buzzing to make this early lead stick (West Ham 0-2 Brentford): For the second time in five days, Brentford began a game fantastically and raced out to a 2-0 lead, but this time the Bees held firm to close out a 2-0 victory, away to West Ham on Friday. The USMNT man had nine recoveries and created a pair of chances (according to Fotmob), one of the few Leeds players who can make such a claim on the day. The Gunners have scored the second-most goals in the league (Man City) and have the second-stingiest defense (Newcastle). Chelsea fails up top as Boly’s Forest bully a point (Nottingham Forest 1-1 Chelsea): Raheem Sterling got his goal but will lament his lack of company on the score sheet as the wide men delivered chances but the scorers weren’t found in blue shirts. Due to form and managerial selection, Christian Pulisic (415) and Conor Gallagher (501) were also used sparingly.

Minute-by-minute report: Can Chelsea's fortunes improve when they resume their campaign against a Bournemouth under new ownership? Join Rob Smyth.

[Premier League](https://www.theguardian.com/football/premierleague) season on a high when they routed Everton 3-0. [Premier League](https://www.theguardian.com/football/premierleague) debut in midfield. [Bournemouth](https://www.theguardian.com/football/bournemouth) at Stamford Bridge. Pulisic collects a loose ball on the edge of the D and surges into the area. It wasn’t much of a shirt pull, and Pulisic certainly made the most of it, but it was still a shirt pull. He mishits a shot into the crowd and Zakaria was crowded out but Havertz collected the loose ball and played it back to Mount on the edge of the D. Play continues, Chelsea break and Pulisic scores at the other end – but the goal is disallowed for a softish foul by Havertz on Smith (I think) in the build up. “If the ref blows for the foul on Pulisic after he got the shot away (that goes wide), it would be a penalty but maybe not a red card. Zemura comes across, but James wins a 45/55 ball and smashes a shot that is blocked at the near post by Travers. I suppose the key is whether Graham Potter is brave enough to do what he wants rather than what he thinks is expected of a Chelsea manager. A collection of overpaid, not consistently motivated players who will constantly rotate in and out of the team as they don’t fit the structure of what the manager would like?

Bournemouth have former Chelsea Academy player Dominic Solanke in their attack. Chelsea: Kepa; James, Thiago Silva, Koulibaly, Cucurella, Jorginho (c), Zakaria, ...

[Bashir Humphreys](/en/teams/profile/bashir-humphreys), our development squad captain. [Denis Zakaria](/en/teams/profile/denis-zakaria) is in midfield for the first time in the Premier League. [Christian Pulisic](/en/teams/profile/christian-pulisic), [Kai Havertz](/en/teams/profile/kai-havertz) and [Raheem Sterling](/en/teams/profile/raheem-sterling).

Related Stories · Chelsea re-start the Premier League season in 9th · Graham Potter buoyed after mid-season talks with Chelsea ownership.

“I am even more confident and even more aware of the support I have now than I was three months ago when I took the job. So you have to reflect, take the pain and frustration and work out how we can go forward and make this situation better. On the counter-attack, it is wonderful play from Solanke to dance through a couple of challenges in Chelsea's midfield, drawing a foul from Thiago Silva. In some games under Potter, it has looked more like a 4-4-2 diamond with Havertz dropping into an attacking midfield position and Sterling and Aubakmeyang as split strikers (when the German is higher, it looks more like a 4-3-3 again). Raheem Sterling was not quite on the touchline, but in behind the Bournemouth wing-back. He is currently limping through the game a little, but is trying to carry on. The midfielder is now back on his feet, and is judged fit to continue. Zakaria is down on the turf, with a head injury causing a few minutes of stoppage time. Chelsea attacking with numbers again, and it was Mount's first time pass to Zakaria which injected pace into the move. Promising moment there from Bournemouth after Koulibaly's loose pass in his own half, to groans from the home crowd. The delivery curls out for a goal kick though - Bournemouth really need to maximise those situations. Bournemouth are still looking semi-threatening, working the ball into promising positions with some measured football.

Chelsea take on Bournemouth in the Premier League, and we here at Chelsea Transfer Room have early team news courtesy of Sam_c345 on Twitter.

A massive boost for Chelsea. A win for Chelsea will put them 8th in the Premier League table, level on points with Brighton unless they can win by seven goals or more which will move them ahead on goal difference. Read More Chelsea Stories: There is some great news for Chelsea as a certain right full-back will return to the line-up after some time on the sidelines. Denis Zakaria gets a rare start, but it will be a massive chance for the Swiss international to prove himself. Chelsea take on Bournemouth in the Premier League, and we here at Chelsea Transfer Room have early team news courtesy of

Chelsea gained ground on the top four in the Premier League with a comfortable victory at home to lacklustre Bournemouth to end the Blues' six-game wait for ...

Chelsea play host to Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge in London, England. Bournemouth looked solid in the opening 15 minutes but Sterling's movement and vision were too good. With the all-important gap to the top four widening to eight points because of that setback at St James' Park, new manager Graham Potter is under early pressure to inspire a rapid upturn in form. Marc Cucurella scampers off to retrieve it and begin a passage of Chelsea passing. Bournemouth are yet to have the ball inside Chelsea territory during this second half. Philip Billing goes down under a challenge inside the box and a VAR check comes to nothing. Just the half Chelsea would have wanted as they seek to avoid four successive clean sheets. Their team could have put the game all-but out of sight if they had capitalised on a string of incisive attacks before the break and not found visiting goalkeeper Mark Travers on fine form. Reece James wins a throw-in deep inside Bournemouth territory on the right. Now Chelsea are back on the attack. A loud roar goes up – is that the sound of the away fans cheering ironically? "I like to be free, to get the ball often, to be in the box and just to play.

Get a report of the Chelsea vs. AFC Bournemouth 2022-23 English Premier League football match.

He delivered a perfect low ball into Havertz who dispatched under the scrambling [Mark Travers](https://www.espn.com.au/football/player/_/id/7441/Mark-Travers). Bournemouth sit 16th, three points from the relegation zone. [Reece James](https://www.espn.com.au/football/player/_/id/189007/Reece-James) and Sterling testing his reflexes. Graham Potter's side, who had not won in the league at home since Oct. [Kai Havertz](https://www.espn.com.au/football/player/_/id/231182/Kai-Havertz) and [Mason Mount](https://www.espn.com.au/football/player/_/id/231167/Mason-Mount) before easing to a comfortable conclusion against a rusty-looking Bournemouth side. [Raheem Sterling](https://www.espn.com.au/football/player/_/id/156366/Raheem-Sterling) free on the right wing.

Chelsea snapped a five-game winless streak in their Premier League restart, but the player performances were a mixed bag against Bournemouth.

[Trevoh Chalobah](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/227784/Trevoh-Chalobah) (Sterling, 88"), N/R -- Was solid to help see out the game as he smashed the ball clear. [Conor Gallagher](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/266696/Conor-Gallagher) (Zakaria, 82"), N/R -- Had his shot blocked by Kelly after a brilliant opportunity opened up for him. [Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/122260/Pierre-Emerick-Aubameyang) (Pulisic, 82"), N/R -- Played one nice ball through but then had another attempted burst forward denied by Marcos Senesi. [Mason Mount](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/231167/Mason-Mount), 9 -- Showed plenty of intelligence to pick up nice pockets of space and utilise them brilliantly. [Christian Pulisic](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/225607/Christian-Pulisic) had a goal ruled out before half-time, but the two early goals decided the result as Chelsea put in a positive display that saw the Blues move up a place to go eighth on [the Premier League table](http://www.espnfc.com/soccer/table/_/league/eng.1). [César Azpilicueta](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/97770/cesar-azpilicueta) (James, 53'), 6 -- Comfortably slotted into the backline, heading back to Kepa from a potentially dangerous Bournemouth ball, although there were times he struggled when Bournemouth ran at him. Delivered a perfectly weighted pass for Havertz to score the opener and was denied by a strong left hand from Mark Travers. Made a poor attempt at a flick after Travers saved James' shot, then hit a wild effort from a promising position in the second half. Provided a solid defensive display and did brilliantly to flick the ball away from Jack Stacey in his own box. Made a great header to clear Zemura's cross, then came agonisingly close with a header of his own. There was a lot of quality on the ball for manager Graham Potter to be pleased about, and his side also often pressed well. [Kai Havertz](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/231182/Kai-Havertz) converting from [Raheem Sterling](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/156366/Raheem-Sterling)'s perfectly weighted pass.

Christian Pulisic got the start for Chelsea against Bournemouth as the USMNT star returned to Premier League action after a superb World Cup.

Get the latest Football updates on Eurosport. Catch Chelsea - Bournemouth live on 27/12/2022. Find scores, stats and comments in real time.

Chelsea are continuing to dominate possession, with Bournemouth having to do plenty of chasing. A new one is found in the dressing room - but they're not the same colour! Bournemouth are having some joy down the left.

Get the latest Football updates on Eurosport. Catch Chelsea - Bournemouth live on 27/12/2022. Find scores, stats and comments in real time.

Bournemouth are having some joy down the left. Certainly Chelsea seem to be going through the motions at the moment. Lerma plays in Christie, but the angle is always against him and Kepa does well to save at his near post