Asensio the hero as Villa beats Chelsea
Aston Villa came from behind to defeat Chelsea 2-1, with Marco Asensio grabbing his first Premier League goals in the process.
Asensio, who is on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, netted Villa's winner in the 89th minute of the contest, but Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen made a calamitous error.
Jorgensen allowed Asensio's volley from Marcus Rashford's cross to squirm in, further compounding Chelsea's goalkeeper conundrum.
Asensio had earlier restored parity after hooking in from close range after Rashford's cutback, with the goal awarded after a video assistant referee (VAR) review overturned an initial offside call.
Enzo Fernandez had put Chelsea ahead in the ninth minute, finishing from close range after fine work from Pedro Neto.
Cole Palmer squandered a golden opportunity to restore Chelsea's lead following Asensio's equaliser, failing to direct an effort beyond the backtracking Ezri Konsa, and the Blues were ultimately made to pay.
Enzo Maresca must now re-focus his players ahead of a midweek clash with lowly Southampton, while Villa will travel to Crystal Palace full of confidence.
Villa has won 18 points from losing positions in the Premier League this season, more than any other team, while 13 of the 15 points Chelsea have dropped from winning positions in 2024-2025 have come since Boxing Day 2024, more than any other side.
