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Maresca booed as Bournemouth hold Chelsea to chaotic draw

Enzo Maresca was roundly booed after taking off Cole Palmer amid Chelsea's ultimately fruitless search for a winner in their chaotic 2-2 draw with Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues should have won the battle between two of the Premier League's most out-of-form teams but were made to pay for some shoddy first-half defending, with both the result and fan reaction only heightening the pressure on the Chelsea boss.

Bournemouth arrived at Stamford Bridge without a win in nine but took an early lead when Antoine Semenyo's long throw was bundled in at the second attempt by captain David Brooks.

Both sides threatened with seemingly every attack but struggled defensively throughout the first period but it was a gift of a goal which brought Chelsea level.

Semenyo, perhaps in his final game for the Cherries as a £65m move to Man City edges closer, was penalised by a VAR review for a trip on Estevao inside his own box - and Cole Palmer squeezed the resulting penalty under Djordje Petrovic's dive.

The turnaround was complete with less than 23 minutes played when Enzo Fernandez evaded the attention of Alex Scott before rifling an effort into the top corner in a breathless opening quarter of the game.

It would continue as Semenyo caused more problems from long throws with Alejandro Garnacho, who had switched off for the first goal, guilty of allowing Evanilson the run on him to level at the back post four minutes later.

Few could take issue with captain Reece James' introduction at half-time as Chelsea battled for greater control, but Palmer's withdrawal for Joao Pedro with half an hour left to find a winner earned Maresca loud cat calls and ultimately did little to aid their cause.

Estevao's effort moments after that change would prove their only shot on target of the second period as the Blues' own poor run was extended to one win in their last seven games.

That left the hosts, and their beleaguered manager, subjected to more inevitable jeers at full-time - and Semenyo waving goodbye to the Bournemouth fans, perhaps for the final time.

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