Chelsea came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday evening.
Premier League
Result: Aston Villa 2-2 Chelsea
Date: 27 April 2024
Venue: Villa Park
The Blues manager Mauricio Pochettino made three changes following a 5-0 defeat to Arsenal, as Cole Palmer returned alongside Thiago Silva and Trevoh Chalobah at the back.
Villa had an ideal start after went ahead just after four minutes after Marc Cucurella scored into his own net trying to clear danger in a scramble in the box.
Chelsea upped their efforts and on 16 minutes, Nicolas Jackson thought he had equalised after finding the back of the net from a through ball but the goal was chalked off for a marginal offside by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
The pace of the game slowed down somewhat but Jackson had a big chance for the visitors ten minutes before the break after he headed a close-range header into the post.
Out of nowhere, Unai Emery's men doubled their lead just before the interval after Morgan Rogers fired home a low strike in the box.
Pochettino did not make any changes at half-time, as Chelsea kept the belief from the break and put Villa under pressure.
Noni Madueke eventually reduced the deficit for the Blues just after the hour-mark with a clinical low finish after he broke through on goal from a pass by Conor Gallagher.
Pochettino continued to resist making changes and Chelsea's persistence paid off again eight minutes before time after Gallagher made it 2-2 with a curling shot from the edge of the box that found the top corner.
Villa came back to life in the dying minutes as Ollie Watkins had a chance to restore their lead with a shot unmarked on the edge of the box that sailed over the crossbar.
With the game on the edge, Palmer had a glorious chance for Chelsea in added time after he dribbled his through on goal after a mistake by Villa but he was denied by goalkeeper Robin Olsen, who deflected his shot just wide.
Axel Disasi thought he had netted the winner for the Blues deep in stoppages with a close-range header past Olsen but the goal was disallowed by the VAR for a foul in the build-up.
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