Football

Bournemouth's record signing Evanilson finally broke his goal drought for the club, sparking a three-goal blitz that propelled the Cherries to a 3-1 victory over Southampton on Monday. The Brazilian international's 17th-minute strike ignited a dominant first-half performance from Bournemouth, with Dango Ouattara and Antoine Semenyo adding to the tally before the break.Evanilson's goal was a welcome relief for the 40 million pounds striker, who had endured a difficult start to his Bournemouth career. He had missed a penalty in the Cherries' previous home game against Chelsea, but he made amends with a clinical finish on Monday."It is a goal we've been expecting of Evanilson," said Bournemouth assistant manager Tommy Elphick. "He is so intelligent and makes such cute runs. We haven't been finding him enough so I'm pleased for him."Ouattara doubled Bournemouth's lead just six minutes later, deflecting Lewis Cook's shot past Aaron Ramsdale. Semenyo then put the game beyond Southampton's reach with a fierce drive in the 39th minute.Southampton, who had dominated possession in the first half, pulled a goal back through Taylor Harwood-Bellis early in the second half. However, it was too little, too late for the Saints, who remain in the bottom three of the Premier League."I am so hurt by the first-half performance after the first goal. I didn't recognise our team," said Southampton manager Russell Martin. "There was no aggression or courage. They were looking around and in self-preservation mode on the pitch. I didn't like it one bit. They showed fight in the second half, but it was too late."Bournemouth's victory lifted them above Manchester United into 11th place in the Premier League standings. It was their second win of the campaign, while Southampton remain winless after six games.The gulf between the Championship and the Premier League continues to widen, with all three promoted sides struggling to make an impact in the top tier. Ipswich and Leicester have also failed to register a win in their opening six league matches.

Chelsea secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday, thanks to a late winner from substitute Christopher Nkunku.The Blues endured a challenging first half, with Bournemouth hitting the woodwork twice and Robert Sanchez saving a penalty from Evanilson. However, Chelsea's depth proved crucial in the second half.Jadon Sancho, who joined Chelsea from Manchester United on deadline day, made an impressive debut as a half-time substitute. His incisive pass found Nkunku, who slotted home the winning goal in the 86th minute.The match was marred by a record-breaking 14 yellow cards, surpassing the previous high of 12. Despite the fractious nature of the game, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca praised his team's resilience."You cannot come here and win without getting your shirt dirty," said Maresca. "We had to battle through our lack of cohesion, but we showed great character."Sancho expressed his delight at making his Chelsea debut. "It's amazing to make my debut for Chelsea," he said. "I've been working hard for this moment, and I'm just happy that I got my chance."Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola lamented his team's missed opportunities. "We had more everything, more shots, more corners," he said. "But at the end, what really matters is to score, and they did it at the end."Chelsea's victory lifts them to seventh in the Premier League standings with seven points from four games. Bournemouth, meanwhile, remains winless after four matches.

Manchester United's struggles continued as they were held to a 2-2 draw by a spirited Bournemouth side at Old Trafford. Despite fielding a strong lineup, United looked sluggish and disjointed from the outset, allowing Bournemouth to take the initiative.Bournemouth's attacking intent was evident from the opening whistle, and their pressure paid off in the 16th minute when Will Kambwala's slip allowed Dominic Solanke to fire home from close range. United's defense looked shaky throughout the first half, with Bournemouth creating several more chances.However, against the run of play, Bruno Fernandes equalized for United in the 31st minute. Garnacho's cross deflected off a defender and fell to Fernandes, who slotted it into the net. Bournemouth responded quickly, with Dango Ouattara and Justin Kluivert scoring in quick succession to restore their lead.United's profligacy in front of goal continued in the second half, with Fernandes hitting the crossbar from a promising position. Bournemouth also had their chances, but they were unable to capitalize on their dominance.A controversial penalty awarded to United in the 62nd minute, after the ball appeared to hit Adam Smith's arm, allowed Fernandes to level the score once again. Bournemouth continued to press for a winner, but their efforts were thwarted by a combination of poor finishing and resolute defending from United.In the dying minutes of extra time, Bournemouth were awarded a penalty, but VAR intervened to overturn the decision, ruling that the foul occurred just outside the penalty area. The stadium erupted in protest, but the decision stood, ensuring a share of the spoils for both teams.