EPL: Late Vydra strike frustrates Chelsea in Burnley draw

 

Chelsea were held to a surprise 1-1 draw by struggling Burnley as Matej Vydra’s late equaliser rocked the Premier League leaders on Saturday.

Thomas Tuchel’s side led through Kai Havertz’s first half header and were 11 minutes away from moving five points clear at the top before Vydra stunned Stamford Bridge into silence.

It was a brutal blow to Chelsea given their territorial dominance, but they had no response as their four-match winning run in the league came to an end.

The Blues sit three points clear of second placed Manchester City, who won at Manchester United earlier on Saturday.

Third placed Liverpool can move within one point of Chelsea if they beat West Ham on Sunday.

Although Chelsea are unbeaten in eight matches in all competitions, this setback underlined their lack of cutting edge without injured strikers Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner.

Burnley should have been dead and buried before Vydra’s late invention.

But a fine display from Burnley keeper Nick Pope and some wasteful Chelsea finishing allowed the visitors to escape with a point.

It was just the second goal Chelsea had conceded in their last seven games in all competitions.

Tuchel will hope both Lukaku and Werner are available soon after the forthcoming international break.

Chelsea’s failure to take three points overshadowed a fine display from Ross Barkley.

Barkley, who spent last season in exile on loan at Aston Villa, has never looked at home with Chelsea since his move from Everton in 2018.

But, with Mason Mount only available from a bench after a tooth infection, the midfielder produced one of his most influential performances in a Chelsea shirt.

The 27-year-old, deployed in a ‘false nine’ role, surged towards the Burnley area and teed up Callum Hudson-Odoi for a shot that was saved by Pope before the winger fired the rebound wide.