Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, who is nearing a move to Manchester City, set up two goals and conceded a penalty in a chaotic 2-2 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The 25-year-old is in advanced talks over a £65m move to Etihad Stadium but turned out for the Cherries to set up two goals through long throw-ins for David Brooks and Justin Kluivert to score.
His first throw led to Brooks scoring from close range in the sixth minute.
Chelsea equalised and then went ahead after Semenyo brought down Estevao Willian in the box. Referee Sam Barrott awarded a penalty following a pitch-side video assistant referee (VAR) review in the 15th minute.
Cole Palmer converted, finding the corner despite goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic diving the right way, before Enzo Fernandez fired into the top corner to make it 2-1 after 23 minutes.
Kluivert then tapped in from close range after another Semenyo long throw-in just four minutes later.
Chelsea had further chances, but Bournemouth had the better of the first half with 14 attempts that tested goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
At the interval, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca introduced captain Reece James for Josh Acheampong and Pedro Neto for Alejandro Garnacho.
VAR official Craig Pawson then dismissed a handball appeal against Malo Gusto early in the second half, with former Blues goalkeeper Petrovic impressively saving Estevao’s shot from the edge of the box.
Fernandez also blazed over a shot inside the box in the 77th minute, which was the best chance of the half.
Joao Pedro replaced Palmer moments earlier to boos from the home supporters as Maresca’s side grew dominant but failed to find a winner late on.
And in injury time, Amine Adli crossed for Bournemouth substitute Enes Unal but the striker volleyed over from just 12 yards out.
Chelsea have now won just one of their past seven league games, while Bournemouth remain winless in 10.
Chelsea will be glad to see the back of a miserable December.
In their final November match, they drew with Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, dominating the league leaders despite being reduced to 10 men in the 38th minute, when they were only six points behind the Gunners.
Now, Chelsea sit closer to 15th-placed Bournemouth than third-placed Aston Villa, having squandered a two-goal lead against Villa three days ago.
Having led here, they have now lost a league-high 15 points from winning positions. Before this game, the Blues were 13th in the home form table – little wonder some fans booed at the final whistle.
This run of one win in seven league matches has taken Chelsea from the Premier League elite to what some describe as the division’s ‘middle class’. In a tight table, Chelsea – along with arguably a dozen other clubs – are fighting for European places.
Their target remains Champions League qualification, and an upturn in form could quickly put them back on track.
They will hope 2026 brings improvement, though a trip to Manchester City without Moises Caicedo – suspended after his fifth booking of the season – looks a daunting start.
Semenyo showed Chelsea – who briefly explored signing him – what they will miss, and offered Manchester City a glimpse of what is to come.
His first touch was a shimmy past Acheampong and Estevao before delivering a dangerous in-swinging cross in the fourth minute.
Three minutes later, his long throw-in opened the scoring, and he later repeated the feat to set up another.
There was much more to his game. In an end-to-end contest, Semenyo’s physicality was crucial at both ends, and he featured prominently in counter-attacks that helped Bournemouth create numerous chances in the first half.
It also highlighted something harder to quantify: Semenyo’s professionalism and commitment.
He could have eased off to avoid injury before his move, but instead he threw himself into defensive duties, clearing multiple aerial balls in the second half.
Near the end, he was waiting for a long ball that Reece James intercepted as Bournemouth looked to soak up pressure while still using their star as an outlet.
When asked if it was Semenyo’s last match for Bournemouth, Iraola said: “It is not his last game. I can’t say 100 percent but I think he will play, yes.
“He needs to recover because we play Arsenal at home in another three days, against top of the league, he will be an important player for us, yes.”
It explains why not only City, but also Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham, and Arsenal have all shown interest in him over the past 12 months.
When City manager Pep Guardiola reviews this footage, he will like what he sees – and Semenyo can leave Bournemouth having demonstrated total commitment to the end.
Chelsea travel to Manchester City on Sunday, while Bournemouth host league leaders Arsenal on Saturday in their first Premier League matches of 2026.
