Chelsea vs. Bournemouth result, highlights and analysis as Potter admits uncertainty over James injury

Ben Miller

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Chelsea vs. Bournemouth result, highlights and analysis as Potter admits uncertainty over James injury image

Chelsea head coach Graham Potter said Reece James' latest injury disrupted his players as they ended their six-game wait for a Premier League win and gained ground on the top four with a comfortable victory at home to lacklustre Bournemouth.

James had impressed on his return from a knee problem that forced him out of contention for England's 2022 FIFA World Cup squad, only to sustain a leg injury early in the second half that left the fullback lying on his back disconsolately before making his way off the pitch.

"We're going to have to see in the next 24-to-48 hours," Potter told Amazon Prime Video when he was asked about the extent of James' issue. "We're disappointed to lose him as quickly as we did. The situation affected us a little bit."

The incident was a blemish for Chelsea on a night when Mason Mount marked his 150th start for his boyhood club with a brilliant long-range goal to double their first-half lead, striking after Kai Haverz had scored the first by sliding in to convert Raheem Sterling's cross.

Among a string of saves, visiting goalkeeper Mark Travers denied James, Sterling and Mount to preserve Bournemouth's faint hopes of a comeback in Gary O'Neil's first match as permanent head coach.

Chelsea, who travel to Nottingham Forest on January 1, avoided the ignominy of losing four league games in a row for the first time since 1998 and moved six points behind Tottenham Hotspur with a game in hand on the side occupying the final Champions League qualification place.

Bournemouth's fifth defeat in six league games kept them three points above the relegation zone before the visit of Crystal Palace on December 31.

Chelsea revolve attacking options

Without a goal in more than five-and-a-half hours in all competitions, Chelsea also started the game shorn of an out-and-out striker as Potter started Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the bench.

The pressure was on front trio Sterling, Havertz and Christian Pulisic - who had a goal ruled out - to perform, and the three World Cup participants played their part in easing early concerns after a Bournemouth side with three wins in their past five visits to Stamford Bridge started brightly.

Mount schemed behind them, sending Sterling away inside the penalty area on the right with a through-ball that allowed his recipient to swing an excellent low cross beyond Bournemouth's backline and on to the run of Havertz in front of goal, who slid his finish narrowly under Travers' dive.

Mount's goal was a glorious one, curling his classy shot expertly beyond Travers' dive from outside the box with an air of confidence that permeated Chelsea's play for much of the rest of the match.

Havertz showed quick feet to set up Mount's strike and is now Chelsea's top scorer under Potter with four goals. "He gives me the freedom to go wherever I feel comfortable on the pitch and I like that," Havertz told the broadcaster about Potter.

"I like to be free, to get the ball often, to be in the box and just to play. He gives me a lot of confidence. This period is crucial for us and we know we need the points."

Potter explained that deploying Havertz as a number nine gives Chelsea "variation" and allows Sterling and Pulisic to remain high up the pitch.

"We wanted a performance in front of our supporters – we weren't happy with our performances," said the manager, adding of his side's packed oncoming schedule: "It's fun, it's challenging. There's no point me complaining about it, that's for sure."

Potter praises 'fantastic' Boehly

Potter was appointed on 9 September and made a strong start as Thomas Tuchel's successor but had faced increased pressure because of a run of three successive top-flight defeats before the break for the World Cup.

The manner of their performances had also drawn criticism from some supporters, losing limply to two of the teams they are chasing in Arsenal and Newcastle after a 4-1 hammering at Brighton – Potter's former club.

That led to rumours during the finals that Potter's bosses have already contemplated his potential replacements amid recent results that have not rewarded their vast investment in the squad.

"I don't feel any pressure from them other than that we all want to win," said Potter, discussing new American chairman Todd Boehly and his board.

"The pressure is that it's Chelsea Football Club and we've been through a huge transition and had to deal with quite a lot."

Potter emphasised that he did not want to make "excuses" but added that the unprecedented winter pause for the World Cup had not helped his cause as he introduces his ideas to his players.

Bournemouth were poor and there will be far sterner tests for Chelsea in January, including meetings with reigning champions Manchester City in the Premier League and FA Cup and a trip to Liverpool.

Relief will likely be Potter's overarching sensation, given the severe scrutiny that anything other than a first league win in two-and-a-half months would have entailed.

The Sporting News followed the match live and provided live score updates and commentary.

MORE: Watch every Premier League match live with fuboTV in Canada

Chelsea vs. Bournemouth result, score

  1H 2H Final
Chelsea 2 0 2
Bournemouth 0 0 0

Goals: Chelsea – Havertz (16), Mount (24)
 

Chelsea vs. Bournemouth live updates, highlights from Premier League

Fulltime: Bournemouth have a late chance, Jaidon Anthony curling a free-kick straight at Kepa from the edge of the penalty area.

It was well struck and over the wall, but the goalkeeper only punched it as a precaution and the visitors are unable to capitalise from the corner on the right. Gary O'Neil then shows his frustration as Dominic Solanke glances an excellent opportunity wide from a cross from the same side.

Five minutes of added time elapse and the final whistle sounds to bring Chelsea's winless run to an end! These were a well-deserved three points against a side lacking the kind of cutting edge that Raheem Sterling, Christian Pulisic and Kai Havertz were able to provide for their opponents tonight.

We'll have a report and more analysis above these updates shortly. Don't forget to follow our dedicated football Twitter and Instagram channels – your essential companions to the Premier League and beyond.

87 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Raheem Sterling makes way for Trevoh Chalobah. The England attacker's cross for that first goal tonight was a cracker.

83 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

80 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Bournemouth win a corner on the left. Lloyd Kelly meets the delivery in front of goal but can only glance a header well wide.

Denis Zakaria and Christian Pulisic make way for Conor Gallagher and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has three goals in his last four appearances against these opponents.

78 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

"It just hasn't quite seemed to happen for Bournemouth in the final third," says former England international Sue Smith on Amazon Prime Video.

Christie then finds space inside the penalty area on the right, taking himself slightly wider than he might have liked with his first touch before firing in a low cross that Kepa gathers.

74 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Kalidou Koulibaly has Chelsea's best chance for some time but sends a header wide. Then Christian Pulisic swivels smartly but also fails to find the target.

70 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Jordan Zemura finds space in a dangerous position on the left, swinging in a useful cross which Chelsea cannot convincingly clear.

The subsequent attack provides Jefferson Lerma with a shooting chance on the edge of the box in a useful position, lumping a poor attempt high into the stand behind the target.

66 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Marc Cucurella snuffs out an attack from Bournemouth, who replace Philip Billing with Ryan Christie. They have around a quarter of the game in which to salvage something.

64 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Mason Mount is surely the favourite at the moment to win player of the match tonight. He strengthens his claim again by surging forward, entering the penalty area and fizzing in a low drive that Mark Travers parries around a post.

61 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Marc Cucurella has managed to tear one of his boots in half. There's a pantomime moment as Chelsea's kit man has to race down the tunnel and back to find a replacement.

The away fans are not terrible sympathetic, repeating a single obscene word to inform Cucurella of their opinion of him.

60 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Now Chelsea are back on the attack. Kai Havertz cuts inside the penalty area on the right and drills a low shot wide of the near post.

59 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

A flicker of promise for Bournemouth. Chelsea fans want a freekick as Mason Mount finds himself caught in a crowd outside the penalty area and is dispossessed, then Jaidon Anthony takes aim from an ambitious position.

The low drive takes a deflection off Thiago Silva but is easy enough for Kepa to gather.

56 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Kieffer Moore wins Bournemouth a throw-in deep inside the Chelsea half on the left. A loud roar goes up – is that the sound of the away fans cheering ironically?

54 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

We have an unabashed Christian Pulisic fan among the Chelsea alumni.

51 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Not good news for Chelsea. Reece James is down and has his head in his hands as he receives treatment – troubling after the wideman was ruled out of the World Cup with a knee problem.

James returns to his feet but walks down the tunnel and away. Cesar Azpilicueta replaces him, having dabbed at a pot of vaseline and given one of the Chelsea coaching staff a double fist-bump.

49 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Reece James wins a throw-in deep inside Bournemouth territory on the right. Chelsea play the ball back to Kepa in that familiar style of Graham Potter teams, but you sense that this could end up feeling like a half much longer than 45 minutes in duration for the Cherries.

47 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Bournemouth are yet to have the ball inside Chelsea territory during this second half. Reece James is not happy with the assistant referee on the right after being denied what he emphatically believed was a corner.

46 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Chelsea restart the action and immediately win a freekick inside the centre circle as Mason Mount is felled, laughing as he sits on the turf.

Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

"Chelsea have been brilliant – passing through Bournemouth like they're not there," former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole tells Amazon Prime Video.

The ex-England playmaker isn't quite as impressed with Bournemouth, calling them "terrible".

Halftime: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Just the half Chelsea would have wanted as they seek to avoid four successive league defeats. Bournemouth made the brighter start but Kai Havertz's close-range finish and Mason Mount's marvellous strike from distance have eased the home fans' nerves.

Their team could have put the game all-but out of sight if they had capitalised on a string of incisive attacks before the break and not found visiting goalkeeper Mark Travers on fine form. Mason Mount puts his arm around Reece James and shares his thoughts with his teammate as the players wander back down the tunnel.

45 +2 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Mark Travers has to be on top form at his left near post again! Sterling is his tormentor on this occasion, being afforded too much space and accepting the invitation by powering in a rising shot which the goalkeeper tips away with a strong hand.

45 +1 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Reece James has shown why Chelsea have missed him during his injury absence – he's been excellent during this first half.

This time the defender tricks himself into space inside the penalty area on the right and forces a save from Mark Travers at his near post.

44 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

It's all action! Thiago Silva panics and fires a clearance across the face of his own penalty area after Marc Cucurella overhits a pass back to him.

Philip Billing goes down under a challenge inside the box and a VAR check comes to nothing. In the meantime, Chelsea race to the other end and enter the penalty area on the right, where Christian Pulisic curls a shot into the net but is denied a moment of glory because Adam Smith is adjudged to have been fouled by Kai Havertz, who was at the centre of the move.

42 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Bournemouth are pressing more at the moment, forcing the odd moment of uncertainty from Chelsea at the back.

40 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Kai Havertz apologises to Marcos Senesi after accidentally treading on the Bournemouth man's calf, leaving him in considerable pain.

38 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

There hasn't been a great deal of action at either end in recent moments. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is looking a bit pensive on the Chelsea bench, while Michael B Jordan is looking on intently from the posh seats at a Bournemouth side who will remain only three points off the relegation zone if they can't turn this around.

35 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Bournemouth have scored eight goals in their past three Premier League games, so the potential is there. They seem to have stemmed the tide somewhat with that tactical tweak in formation.

33 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Mason Mount has now been directly involved in 50 Premier League goals for Chelsea.

31 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Reece James reaches the byline on the right and lifts a cross beyond everyone inside the penalty area. Marc Cucurella scampers off to retrieve it and begin a passage of Chelsea passing.

29 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Lewis Cook and Christian Pulisic both go down and receive treatment before returning to their feet. Graham Potter has an animated tactical chat with Mason Mount – and quite possibly congratulates the midfielder on that sweet strike for Chelsea's second.

28 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Lewis Cook fires a freekick from level with the Chelsea penalty area on the right straight onto a crowd of defensive heads.

Marc Cucurella had denied Jack Stacey from getting a clean sight of goal shortly beforehand.

27 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

Bournemouth have switched to a back four, Adam Smith going to rightback and Jack Stacey moving into midfielder.

This is not the test Gary O'Neil would have wanted in his first game in permanent charge.

25 mins: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth

A succinct summary from Chelsea's media team. Graham Potter applauded that goal, which was some way for Mason Mount to mark his 150th start for his club.

24 mins: GOAL – Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth (Mason Mount)

Outstanding strike from Mason Mount for his first home goal of the season!

23 mins: Chelsea 1-0 Bournemouth

Former Chelsea midfielder and assistant coach Jody Morris enjoyed that delivery from Sterling for the goal.

22 mins: Chelsea 1-0 Bournemouth

With a little help from Kepa, Zakaria rises to his feet and makes his way off behind the goal. It's not clear whether he'll be able to continue.

21 mins: Chelsea 1-0 Bournemouth

Kai Havertz heads successive Bournemouth corners from the right away, then Denis Zakaria goes down in the six-yard box and needs treatment.

Unfortunate for the midfielder if that's the end of his evening; it's his first start for the man on loan from Juventus.

19 mins: Chelsea 1-0 Bournemouth

Bournemouth respond well: Dominic Solanke holds the ball up on the right and wins a corner off Marc Cucurella.

17 mins: Chelsea 1-0 Bournemouth

That goal was laid on a plate by a supreme cross by Raheem Sterling. The England attacker picked up a through ball from Mason Mount on the edge of the penalty area on the right, looked up and slung a low cross beyond Bournemouth's backline and on to the run of Kai Havertz at the far post, who slid in to divert a low finish narrowly under Mark Travers' dive.

Graham Potter punched the air on the touchline. Bournemouth looked solid in the opening 15 minutes but Sterling's movement and vision were too good.

16 mins: GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Bournemouth – Kai Havertz

12 mins: Chelsea 0-0 Bournemouth

Christian Pulisic bursts into the penalty area and Adam Smith looks to have pulled his shirt as he tries to make progress.

Pulisic and Marc Cucurella behind him are convinced it's a penalty and a VAR check takes place. Simon Hooper waved their protests away and the check appears to agree.

9 mins: Chelsea 0-0 Bournemouth

Chelsea go as close as they have yet! Reece James zips in a cross at chest height from near the corner flag on the right, which is unconvincingly cleared by Bournemouth.

Marc Cucurella lofts a cross from the opposite side towards Kai Havertz at the far post, who heads tamely over. Thiago Silva is still moving gingerly.

8 mins: Chelsea 0-0 Bournemouth

Mason Mount uses a chipped pass from just beyond the halfway line to try to find the run of Raheem Sterling inside the penalty area and beyond the defence. It's overhit.

7 mins: Chelsea 0-0 Bournemouth

Bournemouth win possession back. They've gone closest so far.

5 mins: Chelsea 0-0 Bournemouth

Chelsea are more than five hours without a goal in all competitions. They're playing the ball around casually without looking likely to break that drought any time soon.

Thiago Silva seems to be hobbling around.

4 mins: Chelsea 0-0 Bournemouth

Marc Cucurella swings a freekick behind from inside the Bournemouth half on the left – to audible crowing from the away fans. That was dreadful.

3 mins: Chelsea 0-0 Bournemouth

Kai Havertz races straight down the other end following that poor freekick from Bournemouth, finding himself fortunate to be awarded a corner even though the ball took a final touch off the Germany international as he entered the penalty on the right.

The hosts can't make the opportunity count.

2 mins: Chelsea 0-0 Bournemouth

Philip Billing sends the freekick straight at Kepa. A bit of a waste as that was usefully positioned, within shooting distance in a central position.

1 min: Chelsea 0-0 Bournemouth

Chelsea, attacking from right to left in the first half, start us off! Bournemouth win the ball and immediately set off on a promising attack through the centre, Solanke winning a freekick in a dangerous position as a result of a clumsy Thiago Silva challenge.

Not the start Chelsea wanted.

1 min from kickoff: The players and crowd take part in a round of applause for England World Cup winner George Cohen before the off. The legendary rightback died on December 23.

5 mins from kickoff: "It's going to be a game; it's going to be a real game," clearly excited former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole tells Amazon Prime Video as plumes of fire burst out of trucks on the pitch and the players line up in the tunnel.

American actor and new Bournemouth co-owner Michael B Jordan is here at Stamford Bridge tonight, apparently. A touch of Hollywood dazzle in the west London rain.

10 mins from kickoff: Here's Mount looking sharp in the warm-up. On the other side of the pitch, no player has been involved in more Premier League goals for Bournemouth this season than Marcus Tavernier, who has contributed two goals and four assists so far.

Tavernier has both scored and assisted in his last two games – the only Cherries player to do so in consecutive top-flight appearances.

30 mins from kickoff: Eight is the most changes Chelsea have made to a starting side this season, although that's perhaps to be expected, given the break since the World Cup.

Midfielder Mason Mount, who was part of that England squad in Qatar, makes his 150th start for the club tonight. Not bad for a 23-year-old.

50 mins from kickoff: Lloyd Kelly returns from injury to captain Bournemouth, with Jack Stacey and Jefferson Lerma also starting.

Chris Mepham, Ryan Christie and Jaidon Anthony make way from the starting side who lost 1-0 at Newcastle in the EFL Cup.

60 mins from kickoff: Team news! Chelsea change eight: fullback Reece James is back after missing out on England's World Cup campaign through injury, while Kepa Arrizabalaga, Thiago Silva, Marc Cucurella, Denis Zakaria, Raheem Sterling, Christian Pulisic and Kai Havertz start and Thiago Silva makes his 100th Blues appearance.

Cesar Azpilicueta and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are among those named on the bench.

80 mins from kickoff: Don't forget to follow our dedicated football channels on Twitter and Instagram for news, stats and insights on the Premier League and beyond. Your essential football companion.

100 mins from kickoff: Gary O'Neil has not taken much heed of Bournemouth's record of three wins from five visits to Stamford Bridge.

“I am aware of it but I don’t believe it will help us much," says the newly-appointed permanent manager of the Cherries. "They’re a top side and a big club with a top coach and fantastic players.

“They’re expected to win basically every game they play, aren’t they? As always, we’ll get the lads playing, get the lads ready and we’ll go there expecting to be competitive and expecting to get a positive result.”

120 mins from kickoff: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News' coverage of Chelsea and Bournemouth's return to Premier League action following the 2022 FIFA World Cup!

These sides were a contrast in entertainment before the top flight halted in November. When the Cherries ended their five-game winless run by thrashing Everton 3-0 at home, it took the total number of goals in their three most recent league games to a crowd-pleasing 15.

Chelsea lost consecutive league games in limp fashion with 1-0 defeats against Arsenal and Newcastle either side of a 2-0 EFL Cup exit at Manchester City. With the all-important gap to the top four widening to eight points because of that setback at St James' Park, new manager Graham Potter is under early pressure to inspire a rapid upturn in form.

Chelsea vs Bournemouth lineups

Hakim Ziyech completed 90 minutes for Morocco and Mateo Kovacic did the same for Croatia in the third-place playoff in Qatar 10 days before this game, so the readiness of both players will be under scrutiny from Chelsea after they played the maximum possible seven games during the World Cup.

Ben Chilwell and N'Golo Kante (both hamstring) and Ruben Loftus-Cheek (calf) are out, but Carney Chukwuemeka (hamstring) and Reece James and Wesley Fofana (both knee) could return to contention.

Kepa Arrizabalaga is a doubt with a foot problem and Armando Broja is expected to be sidelined for around nine months with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

Chelsea confirmed lineup (3-4-2-1): Mendy (GK) — Azpilicueta, Chalobah, Koulibaly — James, Jorginho, Gallagher, Ziyech — Sterling, Gallagher – Aubameyang

Lloyd Kelly returned from injury to captain Bournemouth, with Jack Stacey and Jefferson Lerma also starting.

Chris Mepham, Ryan Christie and Jaidon Anthony made way from the starting side who lost 1-0 at Newcastle in the EFL Cup.

O'Neil revealed that some of his squad had not trained for 10 days because of a "really tricky" virus outbreak leading up to Bournemouth's 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.

Jefferson Lerma, Marcus Tavernier and Ryan Fredericks were among those affected, while goalkeeper Neto (hamstring) and midfielder David Brooks (thigh) are yet to return to full training.

Bournemouth confirmed lineup (4-4-2): Travers (GK) — Smith, Mepham, Senesi, Zemura — Cook, Billing, Christie, Anthony — Solanke, Moore

MORE: Watch every Premier League match live with fuboTV in Canada

What time is Chelsea vs. Bournemouth?

Chelsea play host to Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge in London, England. It kicks off at 5.30 p.m. GMT on Tuesday, December 27.

Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories:

  Kickoff time
USA 12:30 ET
Canada 12:30 ET
UK 17:30 GMT
Australia 04:30 AEDT*
India 23:00 IST
Hong Kong 01:30 HKT*
Malaysia 04:00 MYT*
Singapore 04:00 SGT*
New Zealand 06:30 NZDT*

*Game starts on December 28 in these time zones

How to watch Chelsea vs. Bournemouth

Here's how to watch all of the action from this match in some of the major territores:

  TV channel Streaming
USA Universo Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, NBC Sports, USA Network, fuboTV
Canada — fuboTV
UK — Amazon Prime Video
Australia — Optus Sport
New Zealand Sky Sport Premier League, Sky Sport NOW SKY Go
India Star Sports Select 1 Hotstar VIP, JioTV
Hong Kong 621 Now Premier League 1, 620 Now Premier League TV Now Player, Now E
Malaysia — Astro Go
Singapore — StarHub TV+

UK: Matches are carried across Sky Sports and BT Sport streaming and TV platforms, with select matches on Amazon Prime.

USA: Select matches are televised on USA Network (English) and Telemundo or Universo (Spanish), and all three channels can be streamed on fuboTV. The rest of the matches are streamed on NBC platform Peacock for subscribers.

Canada: Every Premier League game streams live and on demand exclusively via fuboTV.

Australia: Fans in Australia can stream matches live and on demand on Optus Sport. 

Ben Miller

Ben Miller Photo

Ben Miller has been writing about sport for 25 years, following all levels of football as well as boxing, MMA, athletics and tennis. He’s seen five promotions, three relegations, one World Cup winner and home games in at least three different stadiums as a result of his lifelong devotion to Brighton & Hove Albion. His main aim each week is to cover at least one game or event that does not require a last-minute rewrite.