Ollie Watkins came off the bench to score twice as Aston Villa produced a remarkable comeback to win 2-1 at Chelsea, extending their winning run to 11 matches in all competitions and moving to within three points of Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Chelsea dominated the first half and took a deserved lead through João Pedro, who turned in Reece James' corner in the 37th minute. Villa, who started in a compact 4-2-2-2 formation, lacked width and fluency, and Unai Emery's decision to leave Watkins on the bench looked set to backfire.
But Emery changed the game with a triple substitution early in the second half, introducing Amadou Onana and Jadon Sancho. Villa levelled in the 63rd minute when Onana intercepted a stray pass from Benoît Badiashile, fed Morgan Rogers, and Watkins forced the ball past Robert Sánchez after his initial shot was saved. The striker then rose to head in the winner in the 84th minute after a Malo Gusto error.
Villa have now recovered 18 points from losing positions this season, and have come from behind in each of their past six away games, winning five. Emery praised his side's leadership after the match, while his tactical adjustments proved decisive once again.
Chelsea, meanwhile, slipped to fifth after one win in six league games. They have dropped 11 points from winning positions at home this season, and head coach Enzo Maresca, serving a touchline ban, admitted: 'We need to manage the game better. We were completely in control – and this has happened before.' Cole Palmer showed his frustration when substituted in the 72nd minute, underlining the lack of leadership that has blighted Chelsea's recent form.
