CHELSEA – home to the rich and famous.

Residents past and present have included Oscar Wilde, Sir Richard Branson, Robbie Williams, J K Rowling, Mick Jagger and Kylie Minogue.

In 1967, the late John Lennon came to the Kings Road to shoot a scene for the Beatles ‘Penny Lane’ video.

And the Fab Four had their picture taken at Chelsea Manor Studios for the cover of their ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ album.

In recent times, wealthy footballers have flocked to the millionaires’ row of west London, financed by Roman Abramovich’s billions.

And the modern-day Sloane rangers have wowed the Chelsea girls and boys, winning two of the club’s six top-flight titles in the past four seasons.

The champions had their colours lowered by Premier League newcomers Cherries in 2015 and again last season when Antonio Conte suffered the same fate as Jose Mourinho.

Not long after, both managers were relieved of their posts by Abramovich.

While Eddie Howe’s team briefly threatened a repeat performance on Saturday, it proved a Stamford Bridge too far as the visitors’ hat-trick attempt was thwarted by two late goals.

Cherries paraded new signings Jefferson Lerma and Diego Rico, the pair drafted in for their first taste of the Premier League.

Signed in the summer for a combined fee of £35.7million, their price tags were dwarfed by the world record £71.6m that Chelsea shelled out on Kepa to replace Real Madrid-bound Thibaut Courtois. 

The 23-year-old Spaniard became the most expensive goalkeeper in the world when his €80m buyout clause was paid in full to Athletic Bilbao.

It shattered Chelsea’s record that had stood at £57m for striker Alvaro Morata, who joined from Real last summer and also started against Cherries on Saturday.

As part of the deal which took Courtois to the Champions’ League winners, Chelsea also drafted in Croatian international Mateo Kovacic on a season-long loan.

The 24-year-old, who impressed after being handed his Premier League debut against Cherries, played five games during his country’s run to the World Cup final this summer.

Just for good measure, Chelsea also signed Jorginho for £57.4m from Napoli, the deal understood to have included compensation for them tempting Maurizio Sarri to take over as head coach at the Bridge.  

So while Cherries boss Howe was able to name a starting line-up costing around £70m, it was petty cash compared with the Blues.

The team-sheet could have been headed up as Tiffany & Co. versus H. Samuel.

It was a role reversal from the midweek Carabao Cup tie when a Cherries team assembled at £72m had entertained an MK Dons side which cost just £300,000.

Skipper Simon Francis, a snip at £25,000, did well to intercept Antonio Rudiger’s through ball which had been intended for Morata as the hosts looked for an early goal.

Cherries appealed in vain for a penalty after Callum Wilson had gone to ground under a David Luiz challenge before Asmir Begovic had to be on his toes to deal with two rasping efforts from Willian, the goalkeeper spreading himself to block both.

Rudiger should have done better with a header from Willian’s 11th-minute corner, the defender contriving to nod it over the crossbar having escaped his marker.

Adam Smith’s timely tackle prevented Kovacic from pulling the trigger after the Chelsea midfielder had fastened on to a ball from deep.

Francis was booked for a foul on Eden Hazard but Marcos Alonso could only fire the resultant free-kick from 20 yards straight the Cherries wall.

Jorginho’s venomous drive was deflected wide for a corner which Begovic came to claim comfortably from Willian before Alonso blazed a chance high over the crossbar.

Wilson spurned a glorious opportunity to draw first blood for Cherries when he fluffed his lines from close range having been picked out by Rico’s excellent whipped centre.

The Cherries striker only had Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa to beat but the ball appeared to strike his knee before looping off target in the 30th minute.

Steve Cook’s crucial block prevented Morata’s shot from finding a way through before Rico tried his luck from distance, only to see his effort sail over.

Cherries had a let-off on the stroke of half-time when Alonso’s deflected strike from just outside the 18-yard box struck the upright.

Begovic made a top-drawer save to keep out Alonso’s effort 10 minutes into the second half, the Cherries goalkeeper diving full length to his left to parry from the Spaniard.

Ake, however, had an even better chance at the other end after Cook had flicked Rico’s corner into his path. But the Dutchman was unable to convert from virtually underneath the crossbar.

Alonso was fortunate to escape further punishment after he wrestled Smith to the ground as the Cherries defender tried to take a quick throw.

Olivier Giroud saw his volley strike Pedro and drift out for a goal-kick before Lerma was booked for a foul on Hazard.

Pedro opened the scoring when he found the bottom corner of the net from just inside the 18-yard box after trading passes with Giroud in the 72nd minute.

As Cherries looked for a quick response, Ryan Fraser screwed an effort wide of the post before a double substitution saw Lys Mousset and Jordon Ibe replace Adam Smith and Joshua King.

Pedro fired straight at Begovic after being teed up by Jorginho before man of the match Hazard doubled Chelsea’s lead when he netted with a low drive five minutes from time. 

Chelsea: Kepa, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Rudiger, Alonso, Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic (Loftus-Cheek, 79), Willian (Pedro, 64), Morata (Giroud, 61), Hazard.

Unused subs: Barkley, Zappacosta, Christensen, Caballero (g/k).

Booked: Alonso, Kante.

Cherries: Begovic, S Cook, Ake, Francis, Smith (Ibe, 80), Lerma (L Cook, 87), Gosling, Rico, King (Mousset, 80), Wilson, Fraser.

Unused subs: Surman, Brooks, Mings, Boruc (g/k).

Booked: Francis, Lerma.

Referee: Lee Mason (Bolton).

Attendance: 40,178.