The final Premier League matchday of this calendar year produced plenty of goals. Justin Kluivert (Bournemouth) and Joel Veltman (Brighton & Hove Albion) played a part in that. Both Dutchmen earned their club a point away from home.
Chelsea and Bournemouth played out an eventful 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge in a result that felt significant for both ends of the table.
For Chelsea, the context made the evening especially tense. In a crowded race for Champions League qualification, home games against teams around mid-table can become must-win fixtures, the kind where any dropped points are immediately felt in the standings. Bournemouth arrived with no intention of being a supporting act, and the match quickly turned into a test of Chelsea’s control, defensive organisation, and ability to manage momentum swings.
The visitors struck first and did it early. After only 6 minutes, David Brooks put Bournemouth in front, punishing a shaky start from the hosts and instantly shifting the atmosphere inside Stamford Bridge. An early concession can flatten a team’s rhythm and distort the game plan, and Chelsea initially looked rattled. Bournemouth, meanwhile, played with the freedom of a side that had already landed a punch and could now choose moments to press or sit in.
Chelsea responded in the most direct way possible, by turning pressure into goals. Cole Palmer converted a penalty to level the match, settling nerves and restoring a sense of order. That equaliser also underlined a recurring theme in Chelsea’s season: when their attacking talent clicks and they move the ball quickly through the final third, they can overwhelm opponents in short bursts. The turnaround was completed soon after, with Enzo Fernandez scoring to put Chelsea ahead. In a matter of minutes, what looked like a frustrating evening was suddenly trending toward the kind of result Chelsea needed.
But Bournemouth did not collapse. Instead, they showed the resilience that has defined many of their strongest performances, absorbing the shift in momentum and waiting for their own opportunity to strike back. With less than half an hour played, Justin Kluivert brought Bournemouth level. The move began with a long throw that caused problems in Chelsea’s defensive shape, and when the ball dropped into a dangerous area, Kluivert was alert and composed, finishing from close range for his second Premier League goal of the season. It was a moment that illustrated two things at once: Bournemouth’s willingness to play direct when needed, and Chelsea’s vulnerability when defending second balls under pressure.
From there, the match settled into a more balanced, open rhythm. Both sides had reasons to push. Chelsea needed three points and had enough quality on the pitch to believe chances would come. Bournemouth, already proven they could hurt Chelsea, continued to break with intent and threaten transitions. The game swung back and forth, the kind of end-to-end contest that can be entertaining for neutrals but often uncomfortable for managers trying to impose structure.
The second half did not produce the same flood of goals, but it did not lack for drama. Chances appeared at both ends as the match remained stretched. Chelsea continued to probe, looking for moments of precision around the penalty area, while Bournemouth stayed compact at key times and tried to spring forward quickly when the opportunity presented itself. Despite the ebb and flow, neither side found the decisive finish. The 2-2 scoreline held to the final whistle.
For Chelsea, the draw felt like a missed opportunity, particularly given the wider context of the Champions League chase. Dropping points at home in this type of fixture can have a compounding effect, not only because of what is lost on the night, but because it invites rivals to create separation. The bigger concern in the short term is the pressure it places on upcoming games, where Chelsea may need to take points in more difficult fixtures to compensate. The result also risks allowing Liverpool to edge further away, with Arne Slot’s side holding a 2 point advantage and a game in hand, a combination that can quickly become decisive if a gap starts to open.
For Bournemouth, the performance carried a different kind of value. Earning a point away at Stamford Bridge, and doing it by twice responding to setbacks, reinforces the sense of a side that competes with belief. The early goal from Brooks set the tone, and Kluivert’s equaliser highlighted Bournemouth’s ability to create danger from direct situations and quick reactions inside the box. If Bournemouth can consistently pair that attacking edge with the defensive discipline they showed for long stretches, they remain a difficult opponent for any team chasing top-end objectives.
Burnley 1-3 Newcastle United
At Turf Moor, Newcastle United took a major step toward securing a comfortable away victory, although Burnley ensured the game remained alive for longer than the opening minutes suggested. Burnley went into the match without Quilindschy Hartman, who was not included in Scott Parker’s squad. Jaydon Banel began on the bench. From the outset, Newcastle looked sharper and more assertive, and Burnley struggled to get any foothold in the opening phase.
The match was effectively turned on its head inside the first 7 minutes. Newcastle’s press and early intensity translated into goals, with Joelinton and Yoane Wissa striking quickly to give the visitors a 0-2 lead. For Burnley, it was a nightmare start, the type that forces a newly promoted team into a recovery mission before they have even settled into the contest. For Newcastle, it was a statement of intent, taking control early and allowing them to manage the game from a position of strength.
Burnley did, however, find a response. Around the midway point of the first half, Josh Laurent scored to reduce the deficit and inject tension back into the stadium. At 1-2, the match became more uncertain. Burnley had something to hold onto and could begin to believe in an equaliser, while Newcastle were forced to remain focused and avoid turning a comfortable evening into a chaotic one.
That tension lingered for much of the game. Burnley pushed, Newcastle threatened in moments, and the contest carried the sense that one more goal could decide it. Burnley ultimately could not complete the comeback, and in stoppage time Bruno Guimaraes sealed the result. The Brazilian scored from long range after a costly mistake involving Martin Dubravka in the build-up, turning a nervous finish into a clearer 1-3 win for Newcastle.
West Ham United 2-2 Brighton and Hove Albion
West Ham and Brighton shared the points in a 2-2 draw that carried clear urgency for the hosts. With relegation pressure looming, West Ham approached the game knowing that home points are often the difference between survival and trouble. They began with purpose and were rewarded when Jarrod Bowen scored the opener, giving The Hammers the platform they wanted.
Brighton responded through Danny Welbeck, who converted a penalty to make it 1-1. The visitors then had a major chance to take control from the spot again, with Welbeck stepping up for a second penalty. This time, he hit the crossbar, a pivotal moment that kept West Ham alive and shifted the emotional tone of the match. Instead of trailing, West Ham gained belief.
Deep into first half stoppage time, West Ham were awarded a penalty of their own. Lucas Paqueta took responsibility and finished confidently, putting the hosts back ahead just before the break. Brighton’s starting lineup included Bart Verbruggen in goal, with Jan Paul van Hecke and Joel Veltman also in the XI, adding a distinct Dutch presence to the defensive unit.
In the second half, Brighton pressed for an equaliser and found it after around an hour, with Veltman scoring to make it 2-2. West Ham introduced Crysencio Summerville from the bench and pushed for a winner, but Brighton held their line and managed the closing stages well. In the end, both teams took a point, a result that may feel more valuable to Brighton in the moment, while West Ham are left needing to keep collecting points quickly to relieve the pressure at the bottom.
Nottingham Forest 0-2 Everton
The City Ground saw the fewest goals of the night, but Everton’s 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest was clinical and controlled. Forest had recently shown they could make life difficult for elite opposition, but once again they finished the match empty-handed. Everton took advantage, scoring through James Garner and Thierno Barry, and then managed the game effectively to protect their lead.
For Forest, the frustration will be familiar: competitive stretches and moments of promise, but not enough end product to turn performances into points. For Everton, the result was the kind of away win that can steady a season, built on taking chances and maintaining defensive discipline once in front.
Updated: 10:02, 30 Dec 2025
