Chelsea 1 Aston Villa 2: Ollie Watkins double sees 128-year-old record equalled

The England international inspired Unai Emery’s men to their fifth comeback victory on the road in the Premier League this season.

Joao Pedro’s first half goal had put Chelsea into a deserved lead as they dominated the opening hour.

But Watkins brought Villa level before netting the winner when he headed home six minutes from time.

Analysis

Watkins had been part of a triple change which included Jadon Sancho and Amadou Onana and completely transformed a match in which they had comfortably been second best.

Villa have now won 11 straight matches for the third time in club history, having previously achieved the feat in 1897 and 1914.

Even more importantly, in 2025, the feat has kept them within three points of leaders Arsenal, who they visit on Tuesday night.

Emery’s men might still be considered outsiders in the title race but this win, their best of the season to date, will have further reduced the number of those doubting their ability to last the pace.

This was not so much a match of two halves as two-thirds and another. The first part was dominated by Chelsea, with Villa barely landing a glove on their hosts in the opening half.

But Emery’s changes dramatically transformed momentum. None was more significant than Watkins, who took his goal tally to five in what has been, on an individual level, a difficult season with a brilliant individual display.

Villa’s impressive form on the road had come despite a nasty habit of conceding early. All four of their Premier League victories on the road had seen them fall behind within the first 10 minutes.

They were left breathing a sigh of relief less than two minutes in here. Youri Tielemans was unable to cut out Moises Caicedo’s flick and Palmer had time to shoot from the edge of the box, his effort flying wide.

Morgan Rogers raised noise levels in the away end when he found space to run at the home defence but lost the ball when trying to cut inside Benoit Badiashile.

That was a rare attack for Villa as Chelsea proceeded to dominate the rest of the half.

Enzo Fernandez sent a shot just wide of the post after being found in space on the edge of the box by Alejandro Garnacho, before Emi Martinez blocked at point-blank range from Pedro as he looked to flick the ball past the keeper.

For all their possession, Chelsea were actually creating little in the way of clear-cut chances and that made the manner of the opening goal all the more frustrating.

James lifted the corner to the near post and Martinez seemed to be spending more time battling with Pedro to see where the ball was. It ended up in the back of his net via a deflection off the unknowing striker’s boot.

Emery opted against changes at the break and his team were a little fortunate not to concede a penalty when Garnacho’s cross struck Ian Maatsen on the arm.

Villa were at least finally showing some attacking endeavour but their first corner, after Rogers saw a shot deflected wide, almost led to a Chelsea second. McGinn made a vital intervention to prevent Garnacho from tapping home Palmer’s cross.

James nearly caught out Martinez again with a vicious cross the keeper was forced to tip away back-peddling. 

That moment took on even greater significance when Villa levelled through Watkins just past the hour mark.

The striker, only on the pitch for five minutes, had already sent Kamara through on goal, the midfielder being denied by Sanchez.

Soon after he got his own chance and this time the finish hit the keeper before rebounding off his knee and into the net to draw his team level.

Villa were suddenly the team in ascendency and Sanchez was called into action to deny Maatsen and then Watkins. Rogers then fired a 30-yard free-kick just over the bar.

Emery’s final changes included the introduction of Lamare Bogarde and his through ball set Watkins running at goal. The striker could not get his shot away but did win the corner from which he rose highest to head home Rogers’ delivery.

Key Moments

37 GOAL Joao Pedro puts Chelsea in front as Reece James’ corner hits the striker and ends up in the net.

63 GOAL Villa level through Ollie Watkins as his finish hits keeper Robert Sanchez and flies into the net.

84 GOAL Watkins wins it for Villa, heading home Morgan Rogers’ corner.

Teams

Chelsea: Sanchez, James, Badiashile, Chalobah, Cucurella (Gusto 69), Caicedo, Fernandez, Neto, Palmer (Estevao 72), Garnacho (Gittens 69), Pedro (Delap 69) Subs not used: Adarabioyo, Santos, Fofana, Acheampong, Jorgensen (gk).

Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Lindelof, Maatsen, Tielemans, Kamara, McGinn (Onana 58), Rogers, Buendia (Sancho 58), Malen (Watkins 58) Subs not used: Digne, Garcia, Bogarde, Hemmings, Jimoh-Aloba, Bizot (gk).