Chelsea came back from behind to edge out Villa in crucial Boxing Day battle.
Chelsea defeated Aston Villa with a 2-1 result in their Premier League game on Sunday. The Blues return to winning ways at Villa Park while Steven Gerrard’s men continue to struggle against the top six.
Penalty record for Jorginho!
The game started with great pace as both sides were eager to get the first blood. Chelsea were slightly better but it was Villa who took the lead through an own goal in the 28th minute.
Following a cross from Matthew Targett, Reece James tried to deflect the ball with a header. However, the ball diverted off him and found the back of the net to make it 1-0 for the hosts.
Chelsea were quick in their response and equalized the result only six minutes later. Jorginho converted his first penalty of the night to bring the Blues back into the game. The first half ended in a 1-1 draw, but it was clear that Chelsea will soon score again.
Only ten minutes into the second period, Chelsea got their second goal of the night. Callum Hudson-Odoi whipped a searching cross, which was then converted by a precise header from Romelu Lukaku. Chelsea continued their attacks after scoring the goal, but missed several chances to extend their lead. Despite his side’s defeat, Emiliano Martinez displayed a spectacular performance, preventing the Blues from scoring several times.
But another penalty finally provided Chelsea with a chance to double their lead. Following a foul on Lukaku, Jorginho converted the penalty to break a Premier League record.
Chelsea keep the pressure on Liverpool while maintaining their six-point lead over Arsenal. The Blues will now prepare to face Brighton in their next game on Wednesday.
On the other hand, Aston Villa slip to tenth place on the standings after another defeat against the top six. The Villa will continue their league campaign with a match against Brentford on Sunday.
Player Ratings
Aston Villa: Martinez (5); Cash (6), Konsa (5), Mings (5), Targett (6); Sanson (7), Luiz (6), Ramsey (6); Buendia (5), Watkins (5), Ings (6).
Bench: Chukwuemeka (5), Ghazi (5), Traore (6).
Chelsea: Mendy (6); Chalobah (6), Silva (6), Rudiger (7); James (6), Kante (7), Jorginho (8), Alonso (6); Mount (6), Pulisic (7), Hudson-Odoi (7).
Bench: Christensen (6), Kovacic (6), Lukaku (7).
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