Chelsea’s first Premier League victory since mid-October came on Tuesday (Dec. 27) at Stamford Bridge, when they defeated Bournemouth 2-0 thanks to an early goal.
In the first half in a commanding performance, Kai Havertz and Mason Mount both scored goals, but the hosts believe they could have won by a wider margin given the amount of possession and opportunities they generated.
Chelsea won its fifth straight league game, breaking a losing streak, and climbed one spot to seventh in the rankings.
With four losses in their last five league games, Bournemouth is still in 14th place with 16 points.
Jorginho, Mount, and Raheem Sterling all contributed to a quick move through the middle that ended with Havertz giving Chelsea the lead after 16 minutes. Raheem Sterling then delivered a beautiful cross to the back post for the German to stretch into the net.
The home team dominated Bournemouth in every area of the game, and their style of play was characterized by fast ball movement.
In the 23rd minute, Chelsea increased their advantage following another ferocious forward drive. Several players were involved before Havertz laid it back for Mount to score with a right-footed curler from outside the penalty area.
Reece James returned to Chelsea after missing the World Cup in Qatar due to a knee injury, and the England right back wasted no time in showcasing his skills. Chelsea started the game with seven World Cup players.
However, he was forced to leave the game early in the second half, clearly angry and appearing to have new knee problems.
It took Bournemouth almost an hour to test Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who was managing his first league game since being hired permanently. Substitute Jaidon Anthony’s shot was easily saved by the Chelsea keeper.
In the 78th minute, the Spaniard made an even more crucial save to keep midfielder Ryan Christie from scoring.
Mark Travers, the goalie for Bournemouth, made several excellent saves as well, including ones from Sterling and Mount. He also cheered when Kalidou Koulibaly’s header from a corner kick in the 73rd minute went just wide.
Despite missing a close-range header in stoppage time, former Chelsea star Dominic Solanke did finish the game strongly for Bournemouth and looked dangerous in the final 10 minutes.
“The performance in the first half was strong. The disposition was outstanding. Chelsea manager Graham Potter, who will feel some strain lift off his shoulders, stated, “It’s a step forward for us as a squad.
According to O’Neil, Bournemouth will now focus on the January transfer market to bolster their roster. “Like everyone else, we’ll examine some places.”
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