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Youri Tielemans on Marcus Rashford: “We’re very pleased, especially the way he is performing now and with the two assists today,” he tells Sky Sports. “Marcus is someone who can threaten everyone one versus one and even one versus two. He is very important for us in the way he plays because he gives us something different on the left-hand side. You could tell today every time he got the ball he was dangerous and hopefully with many more minutes in his legs he will only get better.”
Premier League: Villa were weary and discombobulated for much of the first half but a brace from Marco Asensio, aided and abetted by Marcus Rashford and an unwitting contribution from Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen ensured they came from behind to win all three points. Ben Fisher reports from Villa Park …
Marco Asensio doubles up to steer Aston Villa to win over Chelsea
Marco Asensio: “I’m so happy,” says the scorer of both Villa goals in an interview with Sky Sports. “It’s a great night and I want to thank all the fans for the effort we do together. To continue, the team is in the right way and I’m very happy for the first goals and for the win.
“We know that today was an important day. We had to win and we did so, yeah, very happy. We have to continue because on Tuesday we have another match [against Crystal Palace, away]. The mentality we have to have is to win every match.”
On Marcus Rashford: “We know all the quality of Marcus, he helps us a lot. We are so happy and thank you also to Marcus for the two assists.”
What this means: Villa move up to to seventh place, just a point behind Chelsea and Bourneouth, who both have 43. With fifth place in the Premier League likely to be good enough to earn a spot in the Champions League, only five points separate Manchester City in fourth place and Fulham in 10th. Oof!
Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeep! It’s all over at Villa Park, where Chelsea have dropped points from a winning position once again, allowing Villa to come from behind and win courtesy of Marco Asensio’s first two goals for the club. While the Spaniard was the hero, there’s a strong case to be made for Marcus Rashford getting the man of the match award. His introduction at half-time played no small part in transforming Villa’s fortunes and helping his side win this game.
90+7 min: Malen wins the ball off Reece James deep in Villa territory and surges forward. He plays the ball inside to Bailey, who runs into the onrushing Filip Jorgensen and just falls over. I’d put it down to fatigue but he hasn’t been on that long. Malen should probably have made a beeline for the corner flag but it doesn’t matter – the final whistle is blown and Villa have won.
90+5 min: On for Christopher Nkunku, who has dismally failed yet another audition for Chelsea, Jadon Sancho gets on the ball but runs into traffic.
90+3 min: Rashford cuts in from the left and has a shot blocked.
90+2 min: We’re into seven minutes of added time and Chelsea’s obvious shortcomings in the goalkeeping department look set to cost them dearly. Again.
Villa lead! Marco Asensio scores his second and it’s a gift from Filip Jorgensen, who allows a fairly weak shot from distance to squirm under his body after the ball came the Spaniard’s way when Villa took a short corner. That’s a dreadful mistake from the Chelsea goalkeeper.
Marco Asensio of Aston Villa celebrates scoring his second goal. Photograph: Marc Atkins/AVFC/Aston Villa FC/Getty Images
88 min: Jorgensen is quick off his line to prevent Malen lifting a slide-rule pass from Rashford over him and into the goal. Good goalkeeping. “What’s the point of VAR if it can’t correct a very obvious penalty like Cucurella on Bogarde a minute ago?” asks Gene Salorio.
87 min: Malo Gusto tries to play a weighted pass towards the byline but completely overhits it and sends the ball straight out of play for a goal-kick before covering his head with his hands.
82 min: Tosin fouls Malen as the Villa man received and tried to control a throw-in. Free-kick for the hosts in a good position wide on the left. Rashford’s whipped delivery is splendid and Cucurella clearly hauls Bogarde backwards in the penalty area as the Villa substitute tries to reach the ball. That should definitely be a penalty for Villa but neither the ref nor VAR are prepared to award it. Cue: a load of ex-pros and referees saying it wasn’t enough of a foul. It really was.
80 min: Three of Villa’s subs, Malen, Garcia and Bailey combine in fine style down the right only for Bailey to cut inside and drill a low ball into the Chelsea box straight to the feet of a defender. Danger averted.
78 min: Clearly still feeling the effects of that challenge from Nkunku, Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers limps off and is replaced by Donyell Malen. Leon Bailey is on for Villa too, in place of Ollie Watkins.
75 min: Cole Palmer beats the onrushing Emi Martinez with a shot from the edge of the Villa penalty area after being picked out by an excellent Moises Caicedo pass but Ezri Konsa is on hand behind his goalkeeper to block the shot. It was a goalbound effort but a weak one, probably because Palmer lost his footing and had to rush his effort.
74 min: Matty Cash has made way for Andres Garcia in the Villa ranks.
72 min: Another yellow card. This time it’s brandished in the direction of Nkunku, who was late with a “robust” challenge on Morgan Rogers that sent the Villa midfielder cartwheeling through the air like a cricket stump on the receiving end of a Jimmy Anderson special.
Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers (left) is fouled by Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku Photograph: Jacob King/PA
70 min: Pedro Neto plays the ball inside to Cole Palmer, who curls a shot narrowly wide from the edge of the Villa penalty area. Such is the young man’s talent and the quality of his showreel, you’d expect him to score from there.
68 min: McGinn isn’t so lucky this time, picking up a yellow card for a foul on Cucurella on the halfway line.
66 min: McGinn and Caicedo go to ground after contesting a second ball and the Chelsaea midfielder is penalised about 10 yards inside his own half. Tielemans’ free-kick is overhit and Ian Maatsen is unable to prevent the ball from going out for a goal-kick.
64 min: On for Tyrone Mings, who has been forced to make way, Lamare Bogarde makes a dog’s breakfast of dealing with a long clearance from Filip Jorgensen but gets away with it.
62 min: I literally have one job but managed to type the incorrect score. Humble apologies; to be clear, it is Aston Villa 1-1 Chelsea.
The goal is given! Rashford was onside when he collected the cross from Matty Cash. He squared it for Asensio, who dug it out from under his feet and prodded over the line despite the best efforts of Reece James. It’s all square at Villa Park. VAR rides to Villa’s rescue.
Photograph: Jaimi Joy/Reuters
57 min: Rashford squares the ball for Asensio, who hooks the ball home from a couple of yards out despite the best efforts of James to prevent the ball crossing the line. The ball is ruled out for a Rashford offside but I think it will be given.
55 min: Villa surge forward on the counter only for Asensio to be felled by a cynical Fernandez foul. The Argentinian gets a well deserved yellow card which has been in the post.
52 min: Neto runs on to a through ball from Palmer down the inside-left and tries his luck. His shot is well wide of the far post, leaving Christopher Nkunku gesticulating in frustration at the far post. The Frenchman was in an excellent position to tap wide from a couple of yards out.
51 min: Rashford wins a corner off Malo Gusto but Chelsea are awarded a goal-kick. The officials didn’t notice the ball take a nick off the Chelsea defender.
49 min: Play resumes and Mings has not yet been substituted despite being helped off the pitch by members of the Villa medical staff. He resumes his position after being waved back on by the ref, so hopefully he’s OK.
47 min: Tyrone Mings is on the deck holding his left knee. He dropped to the ground moments after standing up following what looked a fairly innocuous foul by Enzo Fernandez. He looks in a bit of distress, which is a worry.
46 min: Play resumes with Marcus Rashford on for the Villa in place of Jacob Ramsey.
The players adjourn to their dressing-rooms for the half-time brews, gels and energy bars with Chelsea leading courtesy of Enzo Fernadez’s kneed close-range effort from a fine Pedro Neto cross. It took Villa a while to spark into life and they’ve had a few chances, but Chelsea probably deserve their slender lead on the balance of play.
45+5 min: Caicedo fouls Tielemans and Villa have a free-kick some 35 yards from the Chelsea goal, well left of centre. John McGinn’s delivery is towards Cash but Enzo Fernadez manages to nod it away from the Villa right-back. The half ends with McGinn shooting high over the Chelsea goal from distance.
45+4 min: Tyrone Mings intercepts a Reece James ball from deep with a thumping header as Chelsea try to press home their advantage. The atmosphere at Villa Park seems very subdued.
45+1 min: We’re into six minutes of added time at the end of this first half and Matty Cash appears to be OK. After good work by Reece James, Malo Gusto tries to pick out Nkunku with a curled ball across the edge of the Villa six-yard box but Martinez is quick off his line to smother the ball and snuff out the danger.
44 min: Matty Cash needs treatment after banging his head off the truf after contesting a high ball. He tried to break his fall with his right arm, which may also be hurt.
Photograph: Nick Potts/PA
43 min: A Chelsea corner is cleared towards Reece James on the edge of the Villa penalty area. The dropping ball could scarcely be more inviting but his volley is wild, sending it well wide of the far post.
41 min: “I don’t like it when my prejudices are challenged,” writes Joe Johnson, who may or may or may not be the 1986 world snooker champion. “How has it happened that nouveau riche Chelsea are wearing a stylish, restrained strip (delicate cream, 70s vibe, no sponsor on the front), and Emery, urbane European, is wearing an absurdly showy, distractingly oversized wristwatch?”
39 min: Levi Colwill is all over Watkins like a cheap rug as the Villa striker controls a long ball forward from Tielemans and holds it up. Chelsea get back in numbers and eventually clear their lines.
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