Chelsea return to Premier League action today with a trip to Aston Villa – and you can follow every second of the match with our live blog. The Blues are looking to get back to winning ways following back-to-back defeats, after they were knocked out of the FA Cup by Brighton and lost to them again in their last top-flight match to put pressure on Enzo Maresca.
Chelsea are without Noni Madueke for today’s showdown at Villa Park after the winger picked up a hamstring problem, with the winger replaced by right-back Reece James in what appears to be a formation change. Villa took a point off Premier League leaders Liverpool in their last Premier League fixture, which ended in a 2-2 draw on Wednesday night.
The home side have made four changes to their XI for today’s clash with Ezri Konsa, Jacob Ramsey, Ian Maatsen and Matty Cash all starting while Marcus Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, is named on the bench. You can follow Aston Villa vs Chelsea with our live blog below….
Aston Villa are level! Marco Asensio nets just before the hour mark. The Paris Saint-Germain loanee bundles the ball home after a brilliant ball across the six-yard box from substitute Marcus Rashford. The goal was initially ruled out but was then given following a VAR check. Very much the correct decision.
‘[Rashford] timed his run perfectly and it is a lovely pick out,’ football pundit Alan Smith told Sky Sports. ‘It will do Rashford the world of good… Fernandez on the far side was keeping him on.’. Fernandez is shown a yellow card for a foul on Asensio. That’s the first booking of the match.
Another half-chance for Neto – but Martinez makes a relatively easy save to stop his effort. ‘Pedro Neto has been very sharp this evening,’ former Tottenham and Nottingham Forest star Andy Reid just told the BBC. First chance of note after the restart. Neto fires wide when he probably should’ve passed to Nkunku. Chelsea still lead 1-0 at Villa Park.
Must say, this second half has been a lot slower than the first so far. Rashford, on loan at Villa from Man Utd, came on at half-time to replace Ramsey by the way. Villa defender Mings has gone down with injury and we’re having a little break in play while he receives treatment.
Looks like he’s fine to continue for now…. Here we go…. The scoreline doesn’t reflect it – but it’s been a truly epic game of football so far here at Villa Park. Hoping for more of this after the break. Here’s how the statistics are looking….
Caicedo narrowly avoids the first yellow card of the match for a foul on Tielemans. Correct decision. A break in play here – allowing us all the chance to catch our breaths…. Gusto needs some medical treatment after appearing to hurt his left ankle. Cash has also gone down for the home side.
Both look OK to continue…. Blimey. Another chance!. This one falls for Chelsea star Nkunku but Villa goalkeeper Martinez makes a save to deny him. Hard to keep up here! Chelsea star Palmer hit the side-netting not long ago – and Watkins has just done the same up the other end.
The home side are pushing for that equaliser. Chelsea still lead 1-0. This game is being played at lightning pace! Genuinely one of the best matches I’ve seen so far this season. Former Chelsea star Maatsen, now at Villa of course, just burst into the box and had a brilliant chance to shoot – or pass – but he took too much time on the ball.
Back up the other end, Palmer has just hit the side-netting in another attacking chance for the visitors. Martinez then makes a save from a tame Gusto shot. We’ve just hit the half-an-hour mark – this has been a brilliant game so far. End-to-end stuff.
Another chance falls for Watkins, who is inches away from scoring, but he can’t get there in time from Rogers’ cross. Very close, that. Fernandez, the only goalscorer of the match so far, had Villa goalkeeper Martinez looking very worried just now….
He just tried his luck again, with his shot going narrowly over. That would’ve gone in if it was just a tiny bit lower – with Martinez beaten. Former Tottenham and Nottingham Forest midfielder Andy Reid, watching the match for the BBC, just said: ‘Villa have really come back into the game in the last five minutes and are starting to put Chelsea onto the back foot.
‘The game has been really open since the first minute which is exciting to see.’. Villa started this match poorly but they have come alive now. It’s another chance for Watkins, with Cucurella making a sliding challenge this time to block the striker’s effort.
First chance for the home side – as Chelsea goalkeeper Jörgensen makes a save to deny Watkins from a tight angle. Jorgensen, Gusto, James, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucrella, Caicedo, Fernandez, Palmer, Neto, Nkunku. Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen, McGinn, Tielemans, Asensio, Ramsey, Rogers, Watkins.
