LONDON – Bournemouth stunned Chelsea with three second-half goals in a 3-0 Premier League victory on Wednesday, inflicting on the champions their first home defeat in four months.
The visitors scored on the break in the 51st minute after midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko lost the ball, and Callum Wilson played a neat one-two with Jordan Ibe before slotting home.
Wilson was also involved in the second goal, when he pushed the ball to Junior Stanislas, who flicked it into the net off sprawling goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in the 65th minute.
Former Chelsea midfielder Nathan Ake made it three barely three minutes later, prodding the ball in from a Stanislas shot.
Chelsea’s first home defeat since September 30 exposed the London side’s lack of firepower, with Alvaro Morata injured, Michy Batshuayi on his way to Dortmund on loan and Olivier Giroud signed from Arsenal only a few hours before kickoff.
* Theo Walcott scored twice in his second appearance for Everton as they beat Leicester City 2-1 at home to move further clear of Premier League relegation danger.
Walcott, who joined Everton from Arsenal for about £20 million in the current transfer window, converted Gylfi Sigurdsson’s low cross from close range after 26 minutes and volleyed home before halftime to double the lead.
Jamie Vardy reduced the arrears from the penalty spot deep into the second half, following a foul by Wayne Rooney on Wilfred Ndidi, to set up a nervy finale for the hosts, in which Leicester’s Kelechi Iheanacho twice hit the woodwork.
* A Sam Vokes header five minutes from time earned Burnley a 1-1 Premier League draw at Newcastle United, leaving Rafa Benitez’s strugglers frustrated.
Newcastle wasted a chance to take the lead in the 34th minute when Phil Bardsley brought down debutant Kenedy, but from the resulting penalty, Joselu’s soft effort was saved by Burnley keeper Nick Pope.
But the Magpies, heavily in the battle against the drop, got in front in the 65th minute when from a corner Kenedy, who has joined on loan from Chelsea, found Jamaal Lascelles, who nodded past Pope.
Burnley, now without a win in eight league games, drew level when Newcastle keeper Karl Darlow tipped substitute Vokes’ header from a corner against the bar, but the ball bounced in off the back of his head.
* Southampton and Brighton and Hove Albion, both struggling to keep their heads above water in the fight for Premier League survival, fought out a 1-1 draw at St Mary’s.
Brighton fancied they could earn a crucial win on the road following a bright start which saw Glenn Murray convert from the penalty spot after 14 minutes, after Wesley Hoedt had caught Solly March on the ankle in the box.
Southampton largely dominated from then on, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg hitting the bar, before Saints’ manager Mauricio Pellegrino really went on the attack after the break, introducing their new record signing Guido Carrillo.
Jack Stephens earned their 64th-minute equaliser with his second goal in two games, nudging the ball home from James Ward-Prowse’s mis-hit free kick, but it was not enough to stop the Saints remaining a point behind Brighton in the danger zone.
* At the Bet365 Stadium, Stoke City and Watford played to a 0-0 draw.