Asensio double is enough for Aston Villa as they see off Chelsea | OneFootball

It has been a very up-and-down season in the Premier League for Aston Villa but as Unai Emery stated in his Match day programme notes, this was a must-win game.

Despite Villa’s goal tally being much lower than last season and having dropped points in games they shouldn’t have, they still find themselves in a position that could see them qualify for European football for the third season.

Having said that, we are now approaching the business part of the season and any below-average performances have to be being them and we need to see similar consistency that earned them a place in this year’s Champions League.

Report: Aston Villa 2-1 Chelsea

Emery was forced into more changes as Axel Disasi couldn’t play against his parent club so the returning Ezri Konsa replaced the loanee alongside Tyrone Mings in the heart of the defence. Ian Maatsen, Matty Cash and Jacob Ramsey were all handed starts as Lucas Digne, Andrés García and Marcus Rashford dropped to the bench.

The visitors have struggled on the road since the turn of the year but it took them less than 10 minutes to break the deadlock following another sluggish start from Villa.

Former Wolves winger Pedro Neto raced down the left wing, giving Maatsen no chance before cutting a low ball back across goal for Enzo Fernández to tap in past his International teammate Emiliano Martínez.

The host’s first real chance came through Ollie Watkins. Martínez began the move when he picked out Morgan Rogers with a low pass who flicked the ball into the path of Marco Asensio. The ball opened the Chelsea midfield allowing the Spaniard to drive up the field, he then laid the ball off for Watkins but Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jörgensen was equal to the effort.

Chelsea came close to doubling their lead when Christopher Nkunku robbed Cash and raced into the Villa box before cutting back to Fernández but his effort nestled onto the roof of the net.

Emery introduced Rashford at half-time for Ramsey as he tried to get Villa back into the game and just before the hour mark, the game was level.

Cash played over a long high cross in an attempt to find Rashford, Malo Gusto was able to get a touch on the ball but Rashford was able to adjust his feet before playing the ball across goal for Asensio to tap in from close range to make it 1-1.

The linesman raised the flag calling for the goal to be ruled out due to offside but VAR soon clarified the goal which highlighted a poor decision in the first place. Surprise surprise.

Moments later Chelsea had a chance to regain the lead through Cole Palmer but as he was about to shoot, he lost his footing. He did manage to get a shot away but Konsa was able to deny him on the line.

Just when it appeared that both teams had settled for a draw, Villa had different ideas snatching all three points in the last minute.

Rashford played a one-two with Youri Tielemans from a corner and then picked out Asensio in the box who snatched at a shot with the ball going through the arms of Jörgensen and into the back of the net.

The win moves Villa to one point behind Chelsea in the Premier League.