Chelsea grabbed 3 points against Villa – Match Report

A virtuoso performance from Kepa Arrizabalaga helped Chelsea overcome a valiant Aston Villa at Villa Park on Sunday.

Aston Villa head coach Steven Gerrard made two changes to the team that last time drew with Nottingham Forest. Instead of Philippe Coutinho and Emiliano Buendia, Danny Ings and Leon Bailey, who is back in form after missing the trip to the City Ground, will take the field.Both playmakers came on as substitutes, while Jan Bednarek also returned to the bench.

After Mason Mount scored the Blues’ goal after six minutes, the goalkeeper stole the show with a series of stunning first-half saves to keep the hosts at bay.

A superb triple save denied John McGinn, Jacob Ramsey and Danny Ings from scoring, and later in the half he leapt across goal to deny the latter from a close range header.

“Chelsea, who were on the back foot for most of the match, managed to score a second goal when Mount’s swerving free-kick fooled Amy Martinez in the 65th minute.

Steven Gerrard opted to make two changes to the team that snatched a draw at Nottingham Forest last time out, bringing on Ings and Leon Bailey for Philippe Coutinho and Emiliano Buendia.

The changes almost had the desired effect in the first 60 seconds, when Ings diverted Ezri Konsa’s shot across himself, forcing Mateo Kovacic to knock the ball out of the goal. Seconds later, Douglas Luiz’s shot from the fly forced Arrizabalaga into the first of many saves he would make during the match.

However, the home side’s bright start quickly faded as Chelsea took their first scoring chance six minutes in. Ben Chilwell entered the penalty area from the left and saw his pass curl away from Ramsey and Tyrone Mings miscued his header, leaving Mount standing there to coolly head home from close range.

Having settled down after the early setback, Villa were close to restoring parity when Bailey nodded McGinn’s ball into the net.

Sensing the weakness of the visitors’ backline, the hosts pushed forward again and this time only the heroics of Arrizabalaga kept them at bay during a frantic stretch of play.

Ollie Watkins beat Trevoh Chalobah to the ball and slid it back to McGinn, and the Spanish keeper first denied the Villa captain before heading the ball into Ramsey’s net with a stunning one-handed strike. The loose ball fell to Ings, who tried to shoot from close range, but the combination of Arrizabalaga and the post prevented him.

Arrizabalaga continued to frustrate Villa Park, saving McGinn and Ings, and in the 31st minute made his best stop of the day.

Bailey made a pinpoint pass onto the head of Ings, who looked set for a direct shot from four yards. But just as the striker was preparing to head off to celebrate, Arrizabalaga used an acrobatic reflex to tip the ball over the bar.

Despite Villa dominating and having all the chances, the hosts could have gone in at the break two goals down when Raheem Sterling hit the crossbar after being fouled by Kai Havertz shortly before the break.

In an attempt to bolster the back line, Graham Potter brought on Cesar Azpilicueta and Kalidou Koulibaly at the break in place of Mark Cucurella and Havertz.

The tactical changes and personnel changes did little to change the course of the game, Villa continued to create chances and look dangerous, with Watkins firing a header into the far corner as the home side looked to equalise.

Martinez, who had been a bystander for most of the match, unexpectedly snatched the ball out of the net as Chelsea scored their second goal after 65 minutes.

The Blues had hardly threatened from open play, but Mount was again ahead of the Argentine when his wicked, swerving free-kick fooled the Villa number.1 Martínez.

The playmaker’s second goal of the day took the wind out of Villa’s sails as hopes of extending their four-match unbeaten run vanished.

In truth, a three-goal win would have been incredibly difficult for the hosts after they caused us plenty of problems at Villa Park, especially in the first half. But it did not matter. It was Chelsea who showed a clinical streak, and therefore we could bring the game to victory and another clean sheet for Potter’s Blues.

Match Stats:

Possession

Total Shots

Shots on Target

Corners

Attacks

Dangerous Attacks

Player of the Match: Mason Mount (Chelsea)