Aston Villa secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Chelsea, with Marco Asensio’s brace proving decisive in turning the tide at Villa Park. The win ended Villa’s five-match winless run in the Premier League, easing concerns over their domestic form following their European exploits.
Chelsea started brightly and took the lead through Enzo Fernández, who capitalized on Moisés Caicedo’s clever pass after Pedro Neto’s dangerous run down the right flank. The visitors looked composed, with Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku testing Emiliano Martínez from distance, while Villa struggled to settle. Unai Emery’s side, visibly fatigued from their midweek Champions League commitments, lacked cohesion, and defensive vulnerabilities were exposed early on.
Villa’s response came in the second half, spurred by the introduction of Marcus Rashford. The Manchester United loanee made an instant impact, keeping a searching pass from Youri Tielemans in play before driving at the Chelsea defense. Rashford’s presence injected urgency into Villa’s attack, and he played a key role in the equalizer. A low cross from Matty Cash was inadvertently controlled by Malo Gusto, falling perfectly for Rashford, who squared it across the six-yard box for Asensio to finish. Initially flagged offside, the goal was awarded after a VAR check, confirming Fernández had played Rashford onside.
Chelsea had opportunities to restore their lead, with Palmer sent through one-on-one by Caicedo. However, the forward lost his footing at the crucial moment, allowing Konsa to recover and clear the danger. It was a costly miss for Chelsea, who would soon pay the price for a goalkeeping error.
With time running out, a moment of misfortune for Filip Jörgensen gifted Villa their winner. A routine save turned into a nightmare for the Chelsea goalkeeper when he failed to keep out Asensio’s side-footed volley from Rashford’s cross. The ball slipped through his gloves, handing Villa the advantage and ultimately securing all three points.
Despite Chelsea’s efforts in the closing stages, including a superb Jörgensen save to deny substitute Donyell Malen, they could not find an equalizer. The defeat marked their third consecutive loss, while Villa breathed new life into their league campaign with a much-needed victory.
