CHELSEA bolstered their title credentials in stirring style with a thumping win over free-falling Villa thanks to Cole Palmer’s latest wonder strike at Stamford Bridge.
First-half goals from Nicolas Jackson and the rejuvenated Enzo Fernandez followed by a late Palmer beauty from outside the box brushed aside Unai Emery’s side who are now eight games without a win in all competitions.
But it is all sunshine and light for Chelsea who moved level on points with Arsenal and into the top four and are very much in the shake-up for a first Prem title since Antonio Conte’s 2016-17 side won the league.
Blues boss Enzo Maresca paired Fernandez with Romeo Lavia in midfield for the first time with Moises Caicedo employed in an unfamiliar right-back role and the moves worked a treat as Villa were ripped apart to continue their worst run of results since Emery’s appointment in October 2022.
The £105million Fernandez was axed from the starting line-up by Maresca last month and told his massive transfer fee did not entitle him to a place in his team.
But since that wake-up call the 24-year-old has displayed his best form in a Chelsea shirt as followed up on last week’s goal against Leicester with a sweetly-struck half volley after exchanging passes with Palmer.
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Villa looked a pale shadow of the side that finished fourth last season and got off to the worst possible start when Jackson’s side-footed effort went in off the post after Marc Cucerralla robbed Jaden Philogene with a robust challenge then crossed for the Senegal striker to tap home.
Ollie Watkins had scored on his previous two visits to Stamford Bridge and he should have continued that run when he rolled past the dithering Wesley Fofana on the edge of the Chelsea box but shot straight at the legs of the advancing Robert Sanchez.
Emi Martinez almost gifted Jackson a second goal when he passed straight to the forward’s feet, but he was unable to get his shot away and the Argentine gloveman recovered well to regather the ball.
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He may be rated as the world’s top keeper, but there is never any shortage of drama when Martinez is on the field and midway through the first half he was penalised for the rarely-awarded crime of picking up a backpass from Pau Torres.
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That led to the remarkable sight of all 11 Villa players on their own goalline to defend an indirect free-kick which Martinez raced out to block just before suffering an arm injury from a Jackson challenge that forced him off at halftime.
Villa started the second half with Robin Olsen in goal as Chelsea continued to dominate with Jackson guilty of twice fluffing his lines when through on goal before Palmer iced the victory with a brilliant finish into the top corner six minutes from time.
Substitute Joao Felix should have made it 4-0 two minutes from time with a close range header after Olsen parried away Noni Madueke’s cross as Villa continued to shoot themselves in the foot by giving the ball away cheaply in midfield.
John McGinn’s rising effort in stoppage time was the visitors only real attempt at goal in what was a chastening afternoon for Emery’s men who then saw sub Christopher Nkunku shoot narrowly wide before Stuart Attwell’s final whistle put them out of their misery,
Villa desperately need a win at home to free-scoring Brentford on Wednesday to prevent their campaign spiralling out of control as they struggle to combine Champions League and Premier League commitments.
The potential absence of Martinez would be another huge blow for Emery who failed to hide his frustration on the sideline alongside his livewire set-piece coach Austin McPhee.
At one stage the usually measured Spaniard was involved in a heated discussion with the Chelsea bench after a late challenge from Watkins as the pressure of his side’s shocking run evidently is taking its toll
Chelsea head to lowly bottom-placed Southampton on the same night and victory at St Mary’s and with a repeat performance they cannot be discounted from returning Champions League football back to Stamford Bridge come the end of the season.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
