Chelsea's capacity for chaos and capitulation proved costly again in 2-2 draw with 10-man Burnley - as Mauricio Pochettino's top-four claim is proven wrong

Chelsea led twice against a Burnley team who had only 10 men and no manager on the sidelines after Vincent Kompany was red carded for protesting. And yet, that capacity for chaos and capitulation showed itself yet again at Stamford Bridge.

Mauricio Pochettino claimed this week that the statistics say his side should preside in the Premier League's top four. Not when you look as lost as this. Not when you concede at least two goals for a fifth consecutive game at your own ground. Not when you surrender leads so easily.

Chelsea’s fans booed at full-time, knowing that this was an opportunity missed to move into the top half of the table. Any hope that this club has of sneaking a European place via the Premier League is quickly vanishing.

Cole Palmer had given them the lead at the end of the first half, yet again showing why he is the coolest man in Chelsea.

Palmer had four minutes and 19 seconds to wait while a whole mess of problems were resolved before he could score. While Chelsea’s penalty was checked by VAR. While Burnley’s Lorenz Assignon protested his second yellow. While Kompany was shown a red card of his own.

Then after all that, Palmer scored, a Panenka confirming him as the youngest-ever Chelsea player to reach 20 goal involvements in a Premier League season.

When Josh Cullen equalised, it was Palmer who gave them the lead again. Yet Dara O’Shea’s header was the killer blow as Chelsea were denied the victory and Pochettino disappeared down the tunnel amid jeers.

Chelsea had not won any of their games immediately after an international break this season. There was the 0-0 with Bournemouth in September. The 2-2 with Arsenal in October. The 4-1 loss to Newcastle in November – one of Pochettino's most miserable afternoons since becoming manager and there have been a few.

Looking to add to that winless streak, Burnley piled on the pressure, one ball in behind Chelsea's defence leading to a Jacob Bruun Larsen attempt which was dragged wide. Vincent Kompany’s visitors did not look like relegation fodder. They looked comfortable.

After 10 minutes of doing more defending than attacking, Chelsea finally flew forward as Mykhailo Mudryk set up Enzo Fernandez, who was denied as Burnley goalkeeper Arijanet Muric tipped the ball on to the crossbar.

In the 14th minute, Muric took a quick free-kick on the left-hand side. It found Wilson Odobert, who forced his way inside before unleashing a curler which seemed destined for the corner until Djordje Petrovic pushed it wide.

Continuing the ‘you shoot, we shoot’ spirit that this match seemed to follow in the early exchanges, Chelsea then came close when Palmer set up Nicolas Jackson. Fast feet left the striker with only Muric to beat, but a smothering save followed.

Chelsea scored in the 20th minute as, from a corner taken short, Mudryk crossed for Axel Disasi to head home. Yet in spite of his celebrations, it transpired that he did not use his head. It took an arm for him to direct the ball into the goal as VAR John Brooks disallowed his opener.

Though it was the correct call, it was a shame for Mudryk as much as Disasi. Having replaced Raheem Sterling in Pochettino's line-up, Mudryk seemed full of confidence, still carrying that swagger from his strike against Iceland which sent Ukraine to Euro 2024.

He should have given Chelsea the lead when a counter-attack saw the ball move from Palmer to Jackson to Mudryk, who had an unobstructed view of the whole goal. Muric was a grateful goalkeeper as the shot sailed into his arms.

Mudryk was involved in Chelsea finally taking the lead when he knocked the ball into the box and behind Lorenz Assignon, who brought him down. Referee Darren England took his time. First, he awarded the penalty. Then, he showed a second yellow to Assignon. Kompany went wild, unleashing his outrage on the fourth official James Bell. For that, he received a red card of his own as England told him to exit down the tunnel.

After four minutes and 19 seconds of waiting, what did Palmer do? He scored a left-footed Panenka, straight down the middle as Muric dived out of its way. Leading 1-0 and up against 10 men, you expected Chelsea to have enough to go on to confirm this win in the second half.

Yet in the 47th minute, Burnley made it 1-1. A beautiful strike it was, too, as Cullen and half-time substitute Josh Brownhill exchanged a one-two. It ended with Cullen smacking the ball beyond Petrovic with the outside of his right boot for his first-ever Premier League goal.

In the 57th minute, Burnley would have taken the lead were it not for Petrovic’s quick reactions to stop Lyle Foster’s header as Benoit Badiashile then blocked his rebound. That woke up Chelsea, who took control in their search for a winner.

Muric was repeatedly required as he denied Jackson twice and Palmer twice. Inevitably, Burnley’s brick wall was eventually breached and it was the substitute Sterling who created it, flicking the ball in behind for Palmer to make it 2-1 after 78 minutes.

Yet in the 80th minute, it was 2-2 as Burnley equalised. How straightforward it was, too – a corner from Cullen and a header from O’Shea as the fan frustration returned. The defending from the set-piece was weak, and so was the attempt at a save by Petrovic.

Burnley might have won it, too, when Jay Rodriguez sent a header crashing against the crossbar. A good point for them, a poor one for Chelsea.