Kai Havertz and Mason Mount scored the goals as Chelsea recorded a 2-0 victory over Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Tuesday night.
Havertz made the breakthrough in the 16th minute of the contest before turning provider for Mount, with the England international doubling the home side’s advantage in the 24th minute.
The result has moved Graham Potter‘s side into eighth position in the table, now six points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, while Bournemouth remain in 14th position.
Chelsea entered the match off the back of three straight Premier League defeats, picking up just two points from their last five league games, but they have managed to record their first victory in England’s top flight since the middle of October.
The first serious chance of the match came in the ninth minute when Marc Cucurella delivered an excellent cross onto the head of Havertz, but the Germany international headed over the crossbar.
Chelsea wanted a penalty in the 12th minute when Adam Smith appeared to grab the shirt of Christian Pulisic inside the Bournemouth box, but the referee was not interested.
The Blues made the breakthrough in the 16th minute of the contest when Raheem Sterling‘s excellent low cross was converted by Havertz, who made contact at the far post.
Chelsea then doubled their advantage in the 24th minute, with Mount expertly picking out the bottom corner with a curling effort after Havertz had found the Englishman outside the box.
The home side had the ball in the back of the Bournemouth net for a third time in the closing stages of the first half, but Pulisic’s effort was chalked off following a foul on Adam Smith by Havertz.
Mark Travers then had to keep out a strike from the returning Reece James before denying Sterling minutes later, with Potter’s team threatening to take the match away from their opponents before the break.
On his comeback appearance, James had to be substituted early in the second period, with the Englishman replaced by Cesar Azpilicueta.
Kepa Arrizabalaga kept out a deflected Jaidon Anthony strike just before the hour, before Havertz dragged one wide of the post down the other end of the field.
Jefferson Lerma fired one over Kepa’s goal in the 72nd minute, with Bournemouth certainly showing more intent in the second half of the contest, but Chelsea were always dangerous, and Kalidou Koulibaly just missed the post with a header two minutes later.
Ryan Christie was next to come close for Bournemouth, with the midfielder denied by Chelsea’s goalkeeper 10 minutes from time during an open period of the contest.
Antony had a late free kick tipped over the crossbar by Kepa before Dominic Solanke flicked wide, with Chelsea managing to secure a clean sheet despite late pressure from the Cherries.
Next up for Chelsea is a trip to Nottingham Forest on New Year’s Day, while Bournemouth will be bidding to return to winning ways when they host Crystal Palace on December 31.
SOURCE: sportsmole.co.uk
