In a conflict between two main contenders for a Champions League spot, Aston Villa received the higher of Chelsea courtesy of a 2-1 triumph at Villa Park on Saturday.
The house aspect headed into the competition off the again of a 2-2 stalemate towards Premier League leaders Liverpool, whereas Chelsea had been crushed for the second time in six days by Brighton & Hove Albion.
Aiming to keep away from a straight defeat throughout all competitions, Chelsea started the sport on the entrance foot however had been dealt an early blow after simply eight minutes as Trevoh Chalobah needed to come off with an damage.
Nevertheless, the Blues would take the lead barely 60 seconds later as Enzo Fernandez tapped house from shut vary courtesy of a pleasant cutback from Pedro Neto.
Now within the lead, Chelsea continued to claim their dominance as Villa struggled to deal with their guests, and understandably so, given their midweek involvement towards Liverpool.
Having been second-best for giant spells of the opening exchanges, Villa had their first sight of aim within the 18th minute through a counterattack, which noticed Ollie Watkins name Filip Jorgensen into motion.
Watkins was offered with one other respectable alternative simply over a minute later, having been discovered by Ian Maatsen, however the ahead noticed his effort blocked by Marc Cucurella.
Aiming to proceed his respectable report in entrance of aim towards Villa, Fernandez despatched a curling effort simply over Emiliano Martinez’s aim because the Chelsea midfielder appeared to beat his compatriot for the second time in lower than 20 minutes.
Off the again of two unsuccessful cracks on the Chelsea aim, Watkins was on the top of a teasing cross into the field however did not get the higher of Jorgensen as soon as once more.
Down the opposite finish, Chelsea may so simply have doubled their benefit when Cole Palmer’s deflected effort off of Tyrone Mings narrowly missed Martinez’s close to publish.
Nonetheless working his method again to full match sharpness following his return from damage, Reece James was careless in possession a few occasions, considered one of which resulted in a fourth try of the half from Watkins.
Evidently the busier of the 2 keepers, Martinez wanted to be at his finest eight minutes shy of the interval to thwart Christopher Nkunku.
Simply earlier than half time, James latched on to a rebound from a nook on the sting of the field, though the Chelsea skipper may solely drag his effort vast.
Regardless of a first-half stoppage time of six minutes, neither staff managed to muster any vital attacking menace to finish the half.
In want of extra chew up entrance, Villa supervisor Unai Emery despatched on Marcus Rashford at half time, and the Manchester United loanee wanted simply 12 minutes to make an affect, organising Marco Asensio’s leveller.
After getting themselves again on observe, the house aspect began to grab management of proceedings and appeared the likelier to steal all three factors, however Chelsea had the subsequent two makes an attempt by Neto and Cole Palmer, albeit with no vital ramifications.
Palmer had Chelsea’s finest likelihood of the second interval quarter-hour from time, racing on to a stunning by ball from Moises Caicedo and sitting Martinez down in aim, earlier than his goal-bound effort was blocked by Ezri Konsa.
With the sport changing into more and more stretched, each groups retained vital menace on the counter with Donyell Malen coming closest to grabbing a winner, solely to be denied by Jorgensen.
From the ensuing nook kick, Villa would take maybe a deserved lead on the stability of play as Rashford and Asensio mixed once more for the latter’s second of the day, which ought to have been saved out by Jorgensen.
As Chelsea pressed ahead searching for an equaliser, Leon Bailey virtually put the consequence past doubt in second-half stoppage time, however that will show to be inconsequential as Villa held on for all three factors to snap a five-game winless league run.
Consequently, Emery’s aspect now sit seventh within the Premier League desk, and extra importantly, they’re now simply two factors shy of Manchester Metropolis in fourth.