Chelsea dropped more Premier League points as they were held to a 0-0 draw at Bournemouth, failing to score in a game for the first time since August.

Not since the opening day against Palace had Enzo Maresca's side not managed to find the net but they were frustrated by the Cherries and perhaps fortunate to head back to west London with any points.

Antoine Semenyo had a goal chalked off by VAR for a very tight offside call on three minutes before Evanilson somehow missed from point-blank range - a chance which was recorded as 0.85 in terms of expected goals.

Liam Delap left the field in the 30th minute with his shirt employed as a makeshift sling after grappling at a corner with Marcos Senesi and appearing to land heavily on his shoulder. Marc Guiu was the surprise preference to Joao Pedro as his replacement.

Player ratings:

Bournemouth: Petrovic (7), Jimenez (7), Diakite (7), Senesi (7), Truffert (7), Scott (7), Smith (7), Tavernier (6), Kluivert (6), Semenyo (6), Evanilson (6)

Subs: Adli (6), Brooks (6), Hill (7)

Chelsea: Sanchez (8), Cucurella (7), Fofana (7), Chalobah (7), Gusto (7), James (7), Palmer (6), Enzo (7), Garnacho (6), Delap (6), Neto (6)

Subs: Guiu (6), Estevao (6), Joao Pedro (6)

Player of the Match: Robert Sanchez

Pedro Neto finally brought a save out of Djordje Petrovic at the start of the second half with a low drive at the near post then Alejandro Garnacho headed Neto's deep cross against the post.

Guiu lashed horribly at a loose ball from six yards out sending it crashing against the roof of the stand behind Petrovic's goal.

Cole Palmer made his first start since September on his full return from injury but had little impact on the game, being replaced after 57 minutes.

Since drawing with Premier League leaders Arsenal, Chelsea have lost at Leeds and now drawn this blank.

Chelsea remain fourth but lose ground on Man City and Aston Villa above them.

Bournemouth are now six without a win in the Premier League but may feel this is a step forward after their own poor display in midweek.

Analysis: Chelsea's striker issue

Sky Sports' Lewis Jones:

This stalement with Bournemouth hammered home the notion that Enzo Maresca has a centre-forward problem and it's now impossible to ignore.

Chelsea generated plenty of territory, pressure and enough moments to suggest a big moment was coming but once again the decisive action inside the box simply wasn't there.

The spotlight inevitably falls on Chelsea's starting striker - and the numbers are stark. The starting Chelsea centre-forward has just one goal in 14 Premier League games. It's becoming a damaging trend and one that could put Maresca in a spot of bother soon enough.

And now, Liam Delap's shoulder injury removes the one internal option who offered a stylistic alternative of more direct running, more physicality and more willingness to attack space. Chelsea's shortage in attack is holding them back.

Analysis: Bournemouth get back on track

Sky Sports' Lewis Jones:

Just one win in six games doesn't read well for Bournemouth and Andoni Iraola but against Chelsea there was more than enough in the performance to suggest that this bad run will be snapped soon enough.

This felt far more like the Bournemouth we've come to associate with Iraola: full-throttle intensity, aggressive pressing triggers and a collective conviction without the ball that has been slightly dulled in recent weeks, especially in the meek 1-0 home defeat to Everton in midweek.

The hosts looked far more coordinated out of possession than they have during this mini-slump, closing passing lanes with clarity and forcing Chelsea into the kind of sterile dominance that rarely leads to high-value chances.

Iraola's men won the expected goals battle 1.36-0.8, the shot count 13-11 and corner race 5-0.

They were brave, they countered with numbers and they consistently found ways to progress the ball into dangerous areas. The final action was lacking, as has been the theme recently, but the underlying process was firmly back on track.

Maresca: Unlucky Delap has bad shoulder injury

Delap was in a running battle with Cherries defender Marco Senesi but came off worse when the centre-back landed on him at a Bournemouth corner.

He immediately left the pitch and went straight down the tunnel, with his arm in a makeshift sling of his shirt.

Maresca said: "Unfortunately he was already out two months and he has to be out again. We don't know for how long, but it looks quite bad, his shoulder.

"He has been unlucky. He was out two months already, now he has to be out again. Also, we are a bit unlucky because we need that kind of a No 9."

Teams

Chelsea: Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; James (c), Enzo; Neto, Palmer (Joao Pedro 58), Garnacho (Estevao 77); Delap (Guiu 32)
Subs not used: Jorgensen, Acheampong, Badiashile, Hato, Andrey Santos, Gittens
Bookings: Guiu 85, Neto 90+1

Bournemouth: Petrovic; Smith, Senesi (Hill 62), Diakite, Truffert; Scott, Jimenez (Adli 74); Tevernier, Kluivert (Brooks 74), Semenyo; Evanilson (Unal 87)
Subs not used: Dennis, Araujo, Soler, Kroupi, Unal, Dacosta Gonzalez

Referee: Michael Oliver
Attendance: 11,248