Bournemouth versus Chelsea (File)

Chelsea collapsed to a humiliating 4-0 defeat at Bournemouth to put a dent in their top-four hopes on Wednesday – all the goals coming in the second half.

The visitors controlled the first half but were picked off after the break with Joshua King on target twice for Eddie Howe’s mid-table side, with David Brooks and Charlie Daniels completing the rout.

For all their possession the closest Chelsea came to scoring in the opening period was Mateo Kovacic’s header which was touched onto the bar by Bournemouth keeper Artur Boruc.

Bournemouth were a threat on the break with Brooks and Junior Stanislas were both denied by Spanish keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Chelsea fell behind two minutes after the break when Brooks’s astute reverse pass released King to fire high past Arrizabalaga and things went from bad to worse as King’s pass over the top left released Brooks who stepped inside David Luiz’s half-hearted tackle and fired home.

Stanislas set up King for his second after a flowing move and Daniels rubbed salt in Chelsea’s wounds, his stoppage-time goal meaning they drop below Arsenal into fifth on goals scored.

(Reuters/NAN)