Bournemouth 0-1 Chelsea: Key Takeaways for the Blues in Victory

Christopher Nkunku came off the bench to secure Chelsea a 1-0 victory over Bournemouth in the Premier League, snatching three crucial points in a chaotic and card-heavy contest. Enzo Maresca’s side now sits seventh in the table with seven points from four matches, jumping ahead of Bournemouth.

The match’s dramatic turning point came when Nkunku, on the field for less than seven minutes, skillfully maneuvered past three defenders to slot in the winner. Fellow substitute Jadon Sancho provided the assist, capping a gritty, hard-fought win. Despite Bournemouth's relentless pressure, including 19 shots and two near-misses off the woodwork—most notably Marcus Tavernier’s thunderous strike against the crossbar within the first few minutes—the hosts couldn't break through. Their best opportunity came from a penalty won by Evanilson, only to be denied by Robert Sanchez's crucial save.

For conceding that penalty, Sanchez was one of 14 players handed yellow cards, a Premier League record for bookings in a single match. However, his clean sheet marked Chelsea’s first in 18 away games in the league, and it proved enough to see them leapfrog Bournemouth in the standings, into seventh. Here are The Pride of London’s key takeaways from Saturday night’s win.