Aston Villa vs Chelsea LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction as Mason Mount brace seals win
Follow all the fallout as the Blues kept pace with the Premier League’s top three
Mason Mount and Kepa Arrizabalaga were Chelsea’s heroes as they survived a scare at Aston Villa to maintain Graham Potter’s unbeaten start.
Mount bagged a brace – in front of watching England boss Gareth Southgate – to seal a battling 2-0 win at Villa Park. But they needed Kepa to produce two stunning first-half stops to deny Jacob Ramsey and Danny Ings with Chelsea on the ropes. The Blues have now won their last five in all competitions – keeping four clean sheets – and cemented fourth spot in the Premier League. Defeat was harsh on an improved Villa, who rattled Chelsea, but they slipped closer to the drop zone.
Boss Steven Gerrard joined with Villa 16th and two points above the relegation zone, they now sit 16th and just a point above the bottom three almost 12 months into his reign. He had been at pains to stress the fine margins which had seen his side draw three of their last four games and had demanded his players become headline makers. The problem was Villa made all the wrong headlines as Chelsea were gifted a sixth-minute lead thanks to calamitous defending from Tyrone Mings. Mount later delivered a sucker-punch on 65 minutes after being taken down by Mings 25 yards out and firing in a brilliant free kick, which outfoxed goalkeeper Emi Martinez. Follow all the post-game reaction from Aston Villa vs Chelsea:
Aston Villa 0-1 Chelsea
42 mins: Close! Jacob Ramsey press high up the pitch and forces a quick clearance out of Ben Chilwell who only manages to dink the ball to Matty Cash.
Cash whips one into the box where Danny Ings meets it with a glancing header that takes the ball over the crossbar.
Aston Villa 0-1 Chelsea
39 mins: Off the woodwork!
Mason Mount brings the ball down the right and shifts away from a challenge before knocking it inside to Kai Havertz. Havertz’s run is similar and he weaves around two defenders before squaring the ball into the penalty area.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang lets it run to Raheem Sterling who takes a touch then curls a right-footed shot onto the crossbar!
Aston Villa 0-1 Chelsea
36 mins: That’s a waste. Leon Bailey sends Douglas Luiz away from the set piece then hooks his effort from the right side of the pitch well over the crossbar.
Aston Villa 0-1 Chelsea
33 mins: Ouch! Ben Chilwell slides into a tackle on Jacob Ramsey. Ramsey shifts the ball away from the Chelsea defender and gets whacked on the ankle of his standing leg afterwards.
Chilwell goes in the book and Villa win a free kick.
Aston Villa 0-1 Chelsea
30 mins: And again! Kepa Arrizabalaga to the rescue!
This one is even better from the Chelsea goalkeeper. Leon Bailey weaves his way down the right side and whips a cross into the middle of the box. Danny Ings makes his run from deep and throws himself at the ball ensuring his powerful header hits the target.
He heads the ball inside the six-yard box but from point blank range Kepa lifts the ball over the top of the crossbar!
Aston Villa 0-1 Chelsea
27 mins: Save! Chelsea look very shaky at the minute. They aren’t liking the intensity from Aston Villa.
Ben Chilwell is stuck on the touchline and surrounded by Villa players but manages to poke the ball to a back-tracking Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
He sends the ball back to his own box but there’s none of his teammates available and instead the ball comes to Danny Ings. He carries it inside and smokes a shot towards the near post but Kepa Arrizabalaga keeps it out!
Aston Villa 0-1 Chelsea
24 mins: Aston Villa have created the better chances since going behind and look sharp when counter-attacking. Chelsea are looking for that killer final pass but so far have come up short.
Aston Villa 0-1 Chelsea
21 mins: Oh my days! Exceptional work from Kepa Arrizabalaga who denies John McGinn, Douglas Luiz and Danny Ings in one move.
Villa burst down the left with Ollie Watkins carrying the ball into the area. He pulls it back to McGinn who blasts an effort at goal and forces a punched save from Kepa.
The ball comes out to Luiz who drills his own shot at goal but the keeper drops low to the right and keeps that one out too!
Ings is the first man to it and has a narrow angle to shoot so tries to place the ball into the back of the net only for Kepa to flap a hand at the shot and swipe it away.
Aston Villa 0-1 Chelsea
18 mins: Chelsea are trying to take the sting out of Aston Villa’s attack by maintaining the ball.
Thiago Silva fires a long diagonal over to the right wing where Raheem Sterling jogs behind Ashley Young but the defender leaps above him and heads the ball out for a throw in.
Aston Villa 0-1 Chelsea
15 mins: A pacey pass up the inside right channel sees Marc Cucurella miscontrol the ball and allow Leon Bailey to sneak in behind him.
Bailey carries the ball to the edge of the bix but is tackled by Thiago Silva. Aston Villa recover the loose ball and work it down the left wing before sliding a short pass into the area for Danny Ings.
He lifts the ball to the box post where Bailey arrives and nods his effort over the crossbar!
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