Chelsea’s Nkunku sinks Bournemouth after record number of yellow cards in Premier League | Premier League

In the blue corner, Todd Boehly, in the other blue corner, Behdad Eghbali. Meanwhile, Enzo Maresca must continue to win football games. As the Chelsea soap opera takes its latest twist, revealing that this club is not big enough for two billionaire egos, Maresca’s team put in a performance as dysfunctional as the boardroom goings-on. And yet Christopher Nkunku’s late strike stole the points.

Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth, a team with a good coach and the energy you can find in the Premier League, had the better chances and played much more progressive football. But a match that will be remembered best for an excessive number of yellow cards would not be the Basque team’s lot, despite many near misses. Instead, the Frenchman shook off Bournemouth’s defenders and slotted home a winning goal that should have come outside the failing Chelsea.

In the absence of Enzo Fernández and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, the imposing Renato Veiga partnered Moisés Caicedo. That presence should give Caicedo the chance to make more of the loping runs that have made his reputation at Brighton, but the Portuguese player, making his first league start, needed help against the speed of Bournemouth’s pressing and attacking. In the opening salvos, Marcus Tavernier curled a shot past Robert Sánchez and away from the corner and, when Axel Disasi hesitated, Evanilson came within a whisker of scoring his first Premier League goal.

Nicolas Jackson, whose term was safely secured until 2033, led the line. Another addition to Chelsea’s array of wingers, Jadon Sancho, was on the bench, while new England international Noni Madueke and Pedro Neto flanked Cole Palmer. The presence of that attacking unit was erratic in the first half, a wealth of individual talent searching for the right combinations. Adam Smith versus Neto was a key battleground, and the veteran of Bournemouth’s League One days more than held his own.

Chelsea’s defence and midfield were similarly listless, Veiga sluggish and nervous, Caicedo wasteful. Another loss of possession and Evanilson soon brought down Justin Kluivert to warm Sanchez’s hands as a warm late summer day turned into a cold coastal evening.

Just before the half-hour mark, Madueke was finally given space to make a trademark run, but his out-ball, Jackson, had strayed into an offside position. While referee Anthony Taylor bore the brunt of the Chelsea fans’ discomfort, the root of it lay in their team’s performance. Finally, in the 33rd minute, Mark Travers, coming on for Kepa Arrizabalaga, who was ineligible to play against his unwilling parent club, was called upon to make a save when Levi Colwill played in Jackson. The shot was straight at the Irish keeper.

Sánchez, Kepa’s replacement, became villain and then instant hero when he awarded a penalty to Evanilson and then drew a save from the same player. Taylor ruled that the keeper had fouled the Brazilian in what looked more like a 50-50 duel after Wesley Fofana’s terribly under-clubbed back pass. A half in which Bournemouth could have gone into half-time ahead ended with another effort from Evanilson going wide.

Six bookings in the first half suggested a bad-tempered game, when they were far more the result of Taylor’s meticulousness. Sancho came on for Neto at half-time, but it was a continuation of Chelsea’s problems clearing the ball out of the back, with Lewis Cook and Christie constantly on each other’s heels.

Sancho’s first real involvement saw him set up Jackson for another wasteful effort. Bournemouth still had the better chances. Kluivert, who went straight for goal, easily eluded Fofana, forced another save from Sanchez. A training ground free-kick routine saw Antoine Semenyo blast just over the bar, before Ryan Christie’s deflected shot hit the post. By the 62nd minute there were 10 yellow cards, with no shots taken in anger. And still no opening goal as Maresca replaced the disappointing Madueke for Joao Felix.

That Bournemouth were tired from their first-half efforts was clear and they began to pull away as Chelsea finally enjoyed the comfort of dominating possession. João Félix drifted around while Palmer pushed forward in support of Jackson and Iraola sent in fresh legs, including Luis Sinisterra. The hapless but competitive Jackson was replaced by Nkunku and when Sancho cut inside, the substitute scored a goal to serve as a reminder that, for all their dysfunctionality, Chelsea have some valuable talents in store.