Marcos Alonso struck twice for Chelsea as they stormed back from a goal down to snatch a 2-2 draw away to AFC Bournemouth in their Premier League clash at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.
With both sides playing open, attacking football, Chelsea took the lead in the 33rd minute when Reece James crossed for Olivier Giroud to send his effort onto the crossbar, with Alonso on hand to smash home the rebound.
Bournemouth bounced back with a headed goal from Jefferson Lerma nine minutes after the break and three minutes later they were ahead, Joshua King tapping the ball home from close range after a superb ball in from the right by Jack Stacey.
Jolted into all-out attack, Chelsea substitute Michy Batshuayi had a goal ruled out for offside moments after coming on, but they continued to bombard the Bournemouth box with set-pieces and crosses.
Their efforts paid off with five minutes of normal time left as Mason Mount fired a rocket that keeper Aaron Ramsdale could only parry and Alonso reacted quickest to head home.
Chelsea stay in fourth position on 45 points, while Bournemouth are still hovering above the drop zone on 27 points, two ahead of 17th-placed Aston Villa.
WEST HAM 3-1 SOUTHAMPTON
West Ham United produced an excellent performance to beat Southampton 3-1 on Saturday and provisionally climb out of the Premier League relegation zone.
The result lifted the Hammers one place to 17th on 27 points from 28 games, one more than 18th-placed Aston Villa who have a game in hand as they meet Manchester City in the League Cup final on Sunday.
Jarrod Bowen fired West ham ahead with his first goal for the club since his January move from Championship side Hull City, with Sebastian Haller and Michail Antonio sealing the win after Michael Obafemi had equalised for Southampton.
Bowen struck in the 15th minute with a clinical finish before Obafemi levelled in the 31st, sweeping the ball in with a first-time shot after James Ward-Prowse delivered a low cross from the right.
Haller restored the home team’s advantage shortly before halftime as he beat Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy to a looping cross from the left and slid in to prod the ball home from a tight angle.
Antonio put the game beyond Southampton’s reach when he steered the ball past McCarthy after another superb assist by Pablo Fornals, who released the midfielder with a defence-splitting pass through the middle.
NEWCASTLE 0-0 BURNLEY
Newcastle United’s barren run of form continued when they largely dominated but still ended up being held to a 0-0 draw by Burnley in a sterile Premier League game at St James’ Park on Saturday.
Steve Bruce’s United have now won just once in their last 10 league matches after running into a stubborn Burnley side, who are enjoying their best season in the Premier League era as they moved up to ninth place.
The impressive Matt Ritchie, Dwight Gayle and the returning Jonjo Shelvey all had decent chances blocked by committed Burnley defending in a disappointing goalless first half.
Newcastle upped the pace after the break but Gayle’s overhead kick from Miguel Almiron’s cross and a Ritchie piledriver were the closest they came to breaking the deadlock.
Chris Wood briefly livened up Burnley’s challenge when he came on as a substitute but the man who had scored the winner in the corresponding fixture at Turf Moor in December was unable to earn Burnley their first league double over Newcastle for 59 years.
REUTERS