MATEJ VYDRA POUNCED to stun sloppy Chelsea and scramble Burnley a 1-1 Premier League draw at Stamford Bridge.
Czech Republic forward Vydra climbed off the bench to convert the Clarets’ only chance, cancelling out Kai Havertz’s 33rd-minute effort that had seemingly put the league leaders on course for a fifth-straight top-flight win.
The hosts hogged total control for 75 minutes, only for a short lapse in concentration and intensity to cost them two points.
Thomas Tuchel’s men will still see out the weekend top of the Premier League pile, but Liverpool will have the chance to cut the lead to one point with victory at West Ham on Sunday.
Havertz had earlier leapt straight out of the Stamford Bridge stands to head Chelsea in front.
No sooner had Havertz been bundled into the crowd by Matt Lowton than the Germany forward tiptoed free in the box to convert Reece James’ cross.
It was Havertz’s second league goal of the season while James delivered his third assist of the campaign, to add to his four goals, amid another hugely impressive performance.
But what for so long looked like another menacing, imperious march from Tuchel’s well-drilled side ended in a galling draw after Vydra’s 79th-minute leveller.
Vydra bundled home a ball headed back across the box, to level the clash at 1-1 with little more than 10 minutes to play.
Tuchel sent on Mason Mount and Christian Pulisic in a bid for a late winner, but to no avail.
Irish international Nathan Collins was an unused substitute for Burnley.
Elsewhere, Norwich finally broke their win duck as goals from Mathias Normann and Teemu Pukki fired them to a 2-1 victory at Brentford.
A magnificent solo goal from Normann and Pukki’s penalty secured a first triumph of the season for the beleaguered Canaries.
They held on for the final half an hour, after Rico Henry hauled Brentford back into the match, for a first away victory in the Premier League in almost two years since beating Everton at Goodison Park in November 2019.
Andrew Omobamidele played all 90 minutes in the Canaries’ defence, while Adam Idah played the final few seconds of the game as part of a time-wasting substitute.
Finally, Wilfried Zaha and Conor Gallagher put talk over their international futures to one side to fire Crystal Palace to a 2-0 victory at home to Wolves with a little help from VAR.
Zaha had to refute claims he had been considering his future with Ivory Coast on Friday – after comments made by international boss Patrice Beaumelle during the week – but at his spiritual home of Selhurst Park the Eagles attacker opened the scoring to help Patrick Vieira’s men make it back-to-back wins.
VAR had to confirm the 61st-minute goal after an initial offside decision and then downgraded a Wolves penalty to a free-kick before Gallagher, who had to settle for another England Under-21 call-up rather than a place in the senior squad, saw a deflected shot find the net to extend the hosts’ unbeaten run to six games.
Premier League 3pm results
- Brentford 1-2 Norwich
- Chelsea 1-1 Burnley
- Crystal Palace 2-0 Wolves
With reporting by Gavin Cooney
