Burnley secured an unlikely point against Chelsea despite playing more than half of the game with ten men as they came from behind twice to draw 2-2.
Goals from Josh Cullen and Dara O’Shea cancelled out Cole Palmer’s double after Lorenz Assignon was sent off in the first half for a foul on Mykhailo Mudryk in the box, with Palmer converting from the spot.
Burnley boss Vincent Kompany also saw red for his protests following the penalty decision, but Chelsea failed to capitalise on their man advantage.
Here are five things we learned from the game…
Chelsea’s finishing is still a massive problem
Embed from Getty ImagesIt has been the case for some time now, but Chelsea’s lack of clinical finishing is still a massive problem and is stopping this team from progressing. The Blues had countless opportunities to score at 0-0, but it took a penalty for them to take the lead, with Cole Palmer converting from the spot after Lorenz Assignon had been sent off following a foul on Mykhailo Mudryk in the box. Nicolas Jackson and Malo Gusto spurned big first-half opportunities that could have made this a comfortable afternoon for the Blues, who had 33 shots in the game, but they were instead left to rue their missed opportunities, and the reliance on Cole Palmer for goals was evident once again.
Burnley regain their composure to secure an unlikely point
Embed from Getty ImagesBurnley were in danger of completely losing their heads at the end of the first half. Down to ten men after Assignon’s red card and without boss Kompany on the touchline after he had also been sent off for his reaction to the penalty being awarded, Josh Cullen’s angry lunge on Moises Caicedo right before half-time then earned him a yellow card and told the story of a team who were incredibly frustrated.
But the Premier League strugglers regained their composure at half-time and scored a wonderful equaliser through Cullen right at the start of the second half. Palmer looked to have won it late on but Kompany’s men showed great character to bounce back again and salvage a point against the odds.
Petrovic error proves costly
Embed from Getty ImagesDjordje Petrovic has performed well since being given the chance as Chelsea’s number one following an injury to Robert Sanchez earlier this season, but his mistake from Dara O’Shea’s header proved costly. Moments after the Blues had retaken the lead, O’Shea leapt highest at the near post to head the ball towards goal and despite getting a good hand to it, Petrovic could not keep it out. Petrovic cannot take complete blame for the result but he certainly played a big part in the dropped points.
Muric should have been Burnley’s number one sooner
Embed from Getty ImagesMuric was unlucky to lose his place as Burnley’s number one this season after impressing in the Championship during the last campaign but with new signing James Trafford struggling to settle in to the Premier League, has been given an opportunity to show what he can do in recent weeks and put in a fine performance at Stamford Bridge with several big stops to keep out Chelsea. Perhaps if he were given an opportunity sooner then Burnley might be a in a better position to mount a push for survival.
More boos for Pochettino and Chelsea
Not for the first time this season, boos from the stands followed the full-time whistle at Stamford Bridge following another disappointing result. It has become a regular occurrence at Chelsea over the past year and a bit, and the situation does not seem as though it will improve any time soon. The Blues look destined for another mid-table finish and only winning the FA Cup can inject positivity into what has been another bad season. A draw against a relegation threatened side who played with ten men for more than half of the game is one of the lowest points for Pochettino since taking over at the club.