LONDON, ENGLAND — Ollie Watkins' header six minutes from time completed a stunning comeback as third-placed Aston Villa secured a 2-1 victory over fourth-placed Chelsea, despite the hosts dominating possession at 62.8% throughout the contest at Stamford Bridge. The striker's double punished wasteful Chelsea, who managed just three shots on target from 14 attempts in a frustrating afternoon for the Blues.
João Pedro had given Chelsea the lead in the 37th minute, prodding home from very close range after Reece James whipped in a dangerous cross following a corner. The Brazilian was perfectly positioned at the far post to bundle the ball into the centre of the goal, rewarding Chelsea's early dominance. Watkins drew Villa level in the 63rd minute with a composed left-footed finish from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner, slotting home after Morgan Rogers threaded a perfectly weighted through ball that split Chelsea's defence. The England striker had already forced Robert Sánchez into a save moments earlier, and he made no mistake when the second opportunity arrived. His winner came in the 84th minute, a powerful header from the centre of the box that found the bottom left corner after Youri Tielemans delivered an inviting cross from a corner.
The tactical battle saw Chelsea control the ball for long stretches, pinning Aston Villa back, but Unai Emery's side defended resolutely with Boubacar Kamara and Pau Torres marshalling the backline superbly. Trevoh Chalobah and Marc Cucurella struggled to contain the pace of Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malen on the counter-attack, while Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández dominated midfield possession without creating clear-cut chances. Chelsea's goalkeeper was kept busy throughout, making six saves to keep his side in contention until Watkins' late intervention.
Despite dominating the ball with 62.8% possession, Chelsea were wasteful in front of goal, managing only three of their 14 shots on target. Aston Villa, by contrast, were clinical, putting eight of their 11 attempts on target in a ruthless attacking display. The referee was busy in a feisty affair, brandishing eight cards including five yellows for Chelsea and three for Villa, with Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo both cautioned in the closing stages.
The turning point arrived when Emery introduced Ollie Watkins for Emiliano Buendía in the 58th minute. The substitution transformed Villa's attacking threat, with Watkins immediately troubling Chelsea's defence with his movement and finishing. His equalizer shifted momentum decisively, and Chelsea's inability to regain control despite late pressure from Pedro Neto and substitute Jamie Gittens proved costly. The nervy final 10 minutes saw Villa defend desperately, with Sánchez denying Jadon Sancho in the 88th minute, but Watkins had already delivered the decisive blow.
Looking ahead, Chelsea will host West Ham United on January 11, while Aston Villa host Arsenal on December 30.