Chelsea ease to win over Villa
Chelsea 3 - 0 Aston Villa
Cole Palmer delivered a standout performance as Chelsea cruised to victory over Aston Villa, deepening the visitors’ woes as their winless streak extended to eight games.
Chelsea made a blistering start, with Nicolas Jackson opening the scoring in the seventh minute. The striker finished sharply past Emi Martinez after Marc Cucurella forced a mistake from Jadon Philogene near the Villa box and delivered a precise cross.
Enzo Fernández doubled Chelsea’s lead in the 36th minute with a beautifully taken volley. The Argentine midfielder controlled the ball superbly with his left foot before finishing with his right, capitalising on a well-timed pass from Palmer. The move began with Moises Caicedo winning possession in midfield.
Premier League: 2024/2025 season
Palmer capped his impressive display with a stunning third goal in the 83rd minute, curling a sublime left-footed effort from the edge of the box. The England international now shares a tally of eight goals for Chelsea this season alongside Jackson.
Chelsea’s dominance was evident, enjoying over 64% possession and creating numerous opportunities. Palmer missed an earlier chance from eight yards after a mix-up between Martinez and Pau Torres, while Jadon Sancho also looked threatening.
For Villa, Ollie Watkins endured a frustrating afternoon, squandering two clear opportunities – one in the 15th minute and another just before the break following a loose pass from Fernández. Adding to their troubles, goalkeeper Emi Martinez was forced off at half-time with an injury.
The impact of this result for both sides
The result lifts Chelsea to joint second in the Premier League table with 25 points. Is a title charge on their agenda for their season?
Lewis W, a Chelsea fan, added: "For me, that was the most complete performance of the season so far and a real statement from Chelsea. It was controlled and free-flowing from us. Maresca is doing wonders with a massive team. In the midfield, Lavia and Caicedo were also outstanding as a pairing. Onwards and upwards for the blues."
This Villa slump has seen them drop to 12th on 19 points. Unai Emery now faces the longest winless run of his time at Villa, with their last victory dating back to October’s 2-0 Champions League triumph over Bologna
