Ollie Watkins and John McGinn scored in either half as Aston Villa extended their unbeaten run to move above Chelsea in the Premier League table.
McGinn struck 10 minutes after half-time to double the visitor’s lead in front of a frustrated home crowd at Stamford Bridge who made their displeasure heard after Ollie Watkins had capitalised on a mistake by Marc Cucurella in the first half to stun Graham Potter’s side.
The Blues had been their usual enterprising selves in attack up to that point, but their woes in front of goal showed no sign of resolution in a game that highlighted yet again their lack of end product in the opposition box.
At the final whistle, boos rang around Stamford Bridge, as some supporters behind the dugout again called for Potter to go.
Villa almost handed the hosts the perfect start. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez rolled the ball short to Boubacar Kamara, who dithered in possession and allowed Mykhailo Mudryk to nick it. Stamford Bridge sensed a first Chelsea goal for the Ukrainian, but Martinez got the better of his one-on-one duel with the forward to smother the ball to safety.
Chelsea were nearly made to pay instantly. Their defence, with Reece James dropped back into a central three in place of the injured Wesley Fofana, parted allowing McGinn to release Watkins running clear. With only the goalkeeper to beat, he pulled his shot badly wide.
McGinn went closer still on 15 minutes when his curling effort smacked the crossbar. Chelsea, suddenly on the back foot, had received two early warnings. Neither would be heeded.
The opening goal was a calamity for Cucurella. Douglas Luiz’s hopeful ball forward looked an easy mop-up job for Kalidou Koulibaly, but the back-peddling Cucurella took it away from his defensive partner and helped it into the path of Watkins. This time the Villa striker was not so profligate, lifting it over Arrizabalaga for 1-0.
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The hosts rallied. Joao Felix showed quick, delicate feet inside the box to make space for a shot that Martinez did well to beat behind at his near post. Mudryk’s moment looked finally to have arrived when he found space and broke Villa’s back line, but shot too early, too close to Martinez to bring an equaliser.
Soon Chelsea’s pressure was relentless. Ben Chilwell came close when he pulled away from McGinn down the left and struck a post, before Felix blasted wide following a goalmouth…
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