Chelsea Held by Bournemouth as Delap Suffers Injury
Chelsea’s visit to the south coast ended in a goalless draw against Bournemouth, a result that raised more concerns than excitement.
The match was overshadowed when Chelsea striker Liam Delap was forced off after appearing to dislocate his shoulder in a corner duel with Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi. Delap was replaced by Marc Guiu, while Senesi later left the pitch after overstretching in the second half.
Bournemouth thought they had scored early through Antoine Semenyo, but VAR ruled out the goal due to an offside in the build-up. Semenyo remained a bright spark for the hosts, testing Chelsea keeper Robert Sánchez and creating chances for teammate Evanilson.
Chelsea improved after the break, with Alejandro Garnacho unlucky when his header struck the post, and several long-range efforts were blocked or saved by former Chelsea keeper Djordje Petrovic.
The draw leaves Bournemouth winless in six league matches and Chelsea without victory in three, dampening their title ambitions.
Manchester City Close Gap on Arsenal
Manchester City capitalised on Arsenal’s late defeat to Aston Villa, cruising to a 3-0 victory over Sunderland at the Etihad to move within two points of the league leaders.
Sunderland defended deep in the first half, but Ruben Dias broke the deadlock with a fierce long-range strike that swerved past Dan Ballard into the top corner. Minutes later, Josko Gvardiol met Phil Foden’s corner to head in a second goal before halftime.
City continued to dominate after the break. Jeremy Doku hit the post with a low effort, while Erling Haaland saw a shot cleared off the line. A late third from Foden, assisted by Rayan Cherki, sealed the win. Sunderland’s Luke O’Nien was sent off in added time, further compounding their defeat.
Other Premier League Highlights
- Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Brentford: Spurs eased pressure on manager Thomas Frank, with Xavi Simons assisting Richarlison’s opener and scoring his first goal for the club with a solo run from midfield.
- Everton 3-0 Nottingham Forest: David Moyes’ side moved into fifth place. Summer signing Thierno Barry scored his first goal after 16 matches, while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall netted and hit the post during a dominant display.
- Newcastle United 2-1 Burnley: Bruno Guimarães opened the scoring, and Anthony Gordon added a late penalty after Burnley were reduced to ten men. Burnley scored a consolation through Zian Flemming, but the defeat deepens their relegation worries.
This round of Premier League fixtures saw Man City close the gap on Arsenal, while Chelsea and Bournemouth remain in need of a win to revive their campaigns.
