January 2, 2026
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Chelsea’s struggles under Enzo Maresca continued on Tuesday night as they were held to a frustrating 2–2 draw by Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge, extending the Blues’ poor run to just one Premier League win in seven matches.

The atmosphere inside the stadium reflected the growing unrest among home fans, with loud boos greeting Maresca’s decision to substitute talisman Cole Palmer shortly after the hour mark.

The match exploded into life early, with all four goals coming inside the opening 27 minutes. Bournemouth stunned the hosts when David Brooks gave the visitors an early lead, taking advantage of Chelsea’s shaky start.

However, the Cherries’ defensive frailties soon showed. Palmer restored parity from the penalty spot before Enzo Fernández was given time and space to curl a superb strike into the top corner, briefly putting Chelsea in control.

That advantage was short-lived. For the second time in the game, Chelsea failed to cope with a long throw, and Justin Kluivert made them pay by turning in Antoine Semenyo’s delivery at the back post to level the score.

Despite periods of pressure in the second half, Chelsea were unable to find a winner, and their fans’ frustration boiled over when Palmer was replaced by João Pedro just after the hour.

Bournemouth nearly snatched all three points in stoppage time, but Enes Ünal squandered a golden opportunity, allowing Chelsea to escape with a point and avoid what would have been a damaging home defeat.

Elsewhere in the Premier League, Newcastle United claimed only their second away league win of the season, though not without drama, as they defeated Burnley 3–1. The Magpies raced into a dream start with goals from Joelinton and Yoane Wissa inside the first seven minutes.

Burnley responded through Josh Laurent and came agonisingly close to equalising, with Laurent striking the woodwork twice late on, before Bruno Guimarães sealed the win for Eddie Howe’s side. Burnley remain winless in 10 games.

Everton, despite injury concerns, climbed into the top half of the table after beating Nottingham Forest, managed by former boss Sean Dyche, for the second time in a month. Goals from James Garner and Thierno Barry secured the victory, leaving Forest just four points above the relegation zone.

At the London Stadium, West Ham let slip a two-goal advantage in a dramatic 2–2 draw against Brighton. Jarrod Bowen opened the scoring, but a chaotic first half featuring three penalties swung momentum back and forth. Danny Welbeck equalised for Brighton, Lucas Paquetá restored West Ham’s lead from the spot, and Joel Veltman eventually bundled in the equaliser to ensure the points were shared.

The results added further intrigue to an increasingly unpredictable Premier League campaign, with pressure mounting on Chelsea and their under-fire manager as the season progresses.

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