Chelsea’s 10 men were stunned by a Zian Flemming header in the third minute of added time as Burnley stole a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.
Joao Pedro’s goal in the fourth minute had looked like being the winner but the Blues wilted terribly after Wesley Fofana’s sending off for a second booking 20 minutes from the end, leaving the door ajar for Flemming to score from a James Ward-Prowse corner.
Chelsea are much improved since Liam Rosenior took charge but they still look unsure of how to finish off opponents.
The visitors had barely a sniff after Joao Pedro had shovelled Pedro Neto’s cross over the line, with Cole Palmer showing some of his very best form as Scott Parker’s struggling side were made to look like they were a Championship team already.
Yet Chelsea’s issue this season has been ill-discipline, and they were shown an eighth red card of the campaign when Fofana went in late on Ward-Prowse.
Flemming’s goal was painful to take and it ought to have been worse, Jacob Bruun Larsen powering a free header over the bar with virtually the final action.
They had started so impressively. It was a wonderful ball from midfield by Moises Caicedo, fed through the channel inside of Kyle Walker, that set Neto away down the left.
He looked to the six-yard box to see Joao Pedro arriving, and the Brazilian stretched every sinew on the slide to bounce the ball, albeit with his thigh, beyond Martin Dubravka amid a tangle of limbs.
Chelsea under Rosenior look newly confident, unafraid to try flicks and flourishes in the attacking third, bullish and physical in winning the ball back.
No player has improved more under the manager’s influence than Joao Pedro – this was his 11th league goal of the season – but not far behind following a barren spell has been Palmer.
The England forward almost made it 2-0 before half-time, pouncing on an error in the centre circle by Walker to race clear, beating his former international teammate for pace but hitting his shot too near Dubravka.
Burnley found their footing in the game and had their only chance of the half, Hannibal Mejbri slapping a volley from outside the box straight at Robert Sanchez.
Bashir Humphreys, playing against his former side, gave the ball away to Joao Pedro at the start of second half. He released Palmer for a chance but Joe Worrall’s fine recovering tackle saved Burnley.
Palmer’s resurgence has been a feature of Rosenior’s tenure so far. There was more of that languid, assured skill on the ball to brush off Maxime Esteve and play in Neto for a shot that was well blocked.
Chelsea were in total control but then they had been here in their last home game before allowing Leeds to fight back from 2-0 down to steal a point.
The threat that this might turn into yet another match the Blues had dominated yet failed to win grew significantly when Fofana was shown a second yellow 20 minutes from time for arriving late on Ward-Prowse.
Chelsea thought they had clung on. Then came Flemming’s late intervention to leave Rosenior plenty to ponder.
