After two consecutive draws in the Premier League, Chelsea know what winning is again. The Blues recorded a 1-3 win over Aston Villa. Romelu Lukaku played his first game after an absence from three official games due to a coronavirus infection and made the important 1-2; the other two goals came from Jorginho’s penalty kicks.
Thomas Tuchel made two changes in his line-up compared to last Sunday’s game against Wolverhampton Wanderers (0-0): Hakim Ziyech and César Azpilicueta made way for Jorginho and Callum Hudson-Odoi. Romelu Lukaku also returned to the match selection after a positive corona test, but he also started on the bench. Midway through the first half, Aston Villa was startled by a spinning cross from Mason Mount, which promptly landed on the crossbar, but minutes later the home side luckily took the lead.
Chelsea didn’t give Ollie Watkins enough space to deliver a cross, causing him to serve Matt Targett. His ball towards the box was headed through by Chelsea defender Reece James, who surprised his own goalkeeper Édouard Mendy and made it 1-0. However, Aston Villa could not enjoy the lead for long. Just four minutes later, Chelsea were allowed to moor from eleven meters. After a reckless foul by Matty Cash on Hudson-Odoi’s hind leg, referee Martin Atkinson pointed to the penalty spot and the penalty was awarded to Jorginho.
Lukaku made his entrance at the start of the second half and it took the striker just ten minutes to give Chelsea the lead. He reacted alertly to a turning in from Hudson-Odoi, kept defender Tyrone Mings away and headed the ball. Mount could then have taken care of the 1-3 when he avoided the exited keeper Emiliano Martínez on the edge of the penalty area, but then shot wide. Fifteen minutes before the end, Anwar El Ghazi made his entrance at Aston Villa, but there was no turning around.
Romelu Lukaku is back ???? He nods Chelsea ahead against Aston Villa ??#ZiggoSport #PremierLeague #AVLCHE pic.twitter.com/laAxBMXXDS
— Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) December 26, 2021
Chelsea kept the ball in the squad quite easily and were awarded a penalty in the second minute of stoppage time to expand the margin even further. Using physical strength, Lukaku stormed past Target before being knocked down. Jorginho converted his second penalty of the evening. Chelsea will close the calendar year at home on Wednesday against Brighton & Hove Albion. On January 2, a squatter awaits against Liverpool.