Chelsea vs Aston Villa LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction tonight
Follow all the action live from Stamford Bridge
Follow all the action as Chelsea host Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.
Thomas Tuchel’s team have started the new campaign in good form, winning two and drawing one so far, while Villa have taken four points from their first three matches in something of a new era after selling Jack Grealish in the summer. Chelsea are boosted by the news that they are one of the teams who have ultimately been allowed to play their South American players after the international break fiasco, though Thiago Silva is in the line-up having not been a regular starter at the beginning of this season.
Saul is involved for his debut after joining from Atletico Madrid on deadline day, while Aston Villa are still looking to start getting the best out of some of their new arrivals, including Leon Bailey. The more optimistic fans of Dean Smith’s side might have been hoping for a push at the European spots this season, but it looks more competitive and congested at the top end of the table than ever.
Follow all the team news and updates here as Chelsea face Aston Villa, as well as the end of the Manchester United vs Newcastle match as Cristiano Ronaldo scores on his comeback:
Mendy and Lukaku crucial in both boxes for Chelsea victory
Édouard Mendy and Romelu Lukaku were equally important in securing the three points for Chelsea tonight, for very different reasons.
Read Tony Evans’ full match report from Stamford Bridge below.
Romelu Lukaku and Edouard Mendy star as Chelsea beat Aston Villa
Chelsea 3-0 Aston Villa: Lukaku twice and Kovacic show the clinical edge the away side missed in the first half
What we learned at Stamford Bridge
This was an intriguing contest in which two well-managed and tactically astute teams created plenty of chances and talking points.
Take a look at five things The Independent learned in the article below.
Five things we learned as ruthless Chelsea beat wasteful Aston Villa
Chelsea 3-0 Aston Villa: Visitors miss several first-half chances at Stamford Bridge as a Romelu Lukaku brace and Mateo Kovacic strike wins it for the hosts
Visitors can take heart despite scoreline
A three-goal win flatters Chelsea, in truth, with a spirited and well-coached Villa dominating for long periods, particularly for the final half hour of the first period.
The Villains hit 18 shots throughout the game, six more than Chelsea, and forced half-a-dozen saves from Mendy.
There is plenty to build on here for Dean Smith.
FULL-TIME! Chelsea beat Aston Villa to move second
90+5’ - It’s over. Chelsea have beaten a strong Aston Villa side by three goals to nil at Stamford Bridge.
Romelu Lukaku scored shortly after the start and not long before the end after superb passes from Mateo Kovacic and Cesar Azpilicueta respectively, with Kovacic scoring the second himself after capitalising on a terrible back pass from Tyrone Mings.
Villa were excellent in the first-half and should have scored at least once, with a combination of Edouard Mendy’s reflexes and their own poor finishing keeping them out, before toiling for the majority of the second 45.
That is Chelsea’s 600th win in the Premier League.
GOAL! Romelu Lukaku has a second
90+3’ - What a finish that is!
César Azpilicueta breaks down the right and finds Lukaku with an excellent pass, allowing the Belgian to open his body up on the edge of the penalty area before lashing a left-footed finish into the top corner.
Not the best performance from the Blues, but a fantastic result.
McGinn and Targett booked
90’ - Aston Villa are losing their discipline a little here as they grow more and more frustrated.
John McGinn is booked for a late tackle on Jorginho and Matt Targett goes into the notebook too for dissent.
Chelsea heading for second
89’ - Chelsea have managed the second-half of this match immensely well after a very shaky opening period, and are on their way to a third win from four to open the Premier League season.
They’re heading for second place in the table, behind Manchester United at the top.
Standing ovation for Hudson-Odoi
82’ - Timo Werner is on for Chelsea and the man he is replacing, Callum Hudson-Odoi, is given a standing ovation by the Stamford Bridge crowd.
Hudson-Odoi has played extremely well as the right wing-back this evening, and has done well to force himself into Thomas Tuchel’s plans since last winter after falling out of favour under Frank Lampard.
Mendy makes another save from Watkins
81’ - Édouard Mendy makes his sixth save of the match as he catches a powerful curling from Ollie Watkins from just outside the area.
He did well to keep hold of that one but it was never going to beat him.
Nakamba is Villa’s final change
79’ - Marvellous Nakamba is now on for Villa, replacing Douglas Luiz as the holding player in midfield.
After a frantic first-half this match has now petered out into a bit of a nothingness, with both sides seemingly accepting their respective fates.
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