Looking for a response to a mid-season malaise that has seen Chelsea slip out of the title race, the Blues made a fast start in their return to Premier League action, taking the lead in the 13th minute.
A delicate reverse pass from Nicolas Jackson found Cole Palmer, who displayed his typical ice-cold composure in front of goal, sitting down Mark Travers as he feigned to shoot before tucking home with ease.
Jackson played a significant role in carving out the opener, but he’s been missing his shooting boots of late – a theme which continued in the first half as he skied a bobbling cross over the bar.
An end-to-end passage of play then saw the woodwork struck twice in a matter of seconds as Justin Kluivert swept a low shot onto the post, moments before Jackson burst down the other end and curled narrowly off-target.
The hosts should have doubled their advantage on the stroke of half-time but once again, Jackson failed to make the most of his opportunity, heading Palmer’s inviting cross straight at Travers from point-blank range before turning the follow-up wide.
It didn’t take long for Bournemouth to punish Chelsea for that miss, capitalising on a misjudged Moises Caicedo challenge on Antoine Semenyo to score from the resultant penalty.
No Premier League side has scored more goals from substitutes, and having come on for the injured James Hill in the 23rd minute, Kluivert made no mistake from the spot to level the scores.
Despite conceding, momentum looked to be swinging back in Chelsea’s favour when VAR flagged up a hair pull from David Brooks on Marc Cucurella, but perhaps surprisingly, the Bournemouth man escaped with just a yellow card.
An open contest ensued, but with just over 20 minutes remaining, the visitors turned the game on its head as Semenyo took on Josh Acheampong before striking high past Sanchez at his near post.
Chelsea pushed for an equaliser and eventually found one in stoppage time when returning captain Reece James swept in a free-kick to earn his side a point.
Six head-to-head encounters without defeat (W4, D2) ultimately does little to boost Chelsea’s top-four prospects, with fifth-placed Newcastle United now able to leapfrog Enzo Maresca’s side should they beat Wolverhampton Wanderers tomorrow.
As for Bournemouth, despite the late disappointment, another positive result sees Andoni Iraola’s side remain seventh, with European football an increasingly likely possibility.