Aston Villa produced a stunning second-half comeback to defeat Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening, securing a remarkable 11th consecutive Premier League victory in the process.
Super-Sub Watkins Turns the Tide
Trailing 1-0 to a first-half Joao Pedro goal for Chelsea, Villa manager Unai Emery made a decisive triple substitution just before the hour mark. The introduction of Ollie Watkins proved to be a masterstroke. The England striker, coming off the bench, scored his fourth and fifth league goals of the season to completely reverse the match's momentum and seal a vital three points for the visitors.
The victory ensures Villa remain hot on the heels of the Premier League's top two, sitting just three points behind leaders Arsenal ahead of their crucial trip to the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.
National Media Hail Villa's Title Credentials
The performance and result have forced the national press to seriously consider Aston Villa as genuine contenders for the league title. The Telegraph's Matt Law posed the question of whether Villa are in the title race, concluding that their thrilling form is keeping everyone captivated.
BBC Sport's Phil McNulty was more emphatic, stating that it "can no longer be denied" that Unai Emery's side must be taken seriously as challengers. He noted that while the fans and players seem to believe, Emery himself played down the talk, responding with a simple "Not really" when asked about their title chances.
Chelsea's Wastefulness Proves Costly
The narrative from Stamford Bridge, however, was not solely about Villa's brilliance. The Daily Mail's Kieran Gill focused on Chelsea's recurring profligacy in front of goal. He argued that despite creating numerous chances through players like Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro Neto, the Blues lack a clinical finisher to kill games, a flaw Villa ruthlessly exposed.
Sky Sports highlighted the transformative impact of Emery's substitutions, with pundit Jamie Redknapp describing Watkins' contribution as "one of the great impacts of a sub in Premier League history." Meanwhile, The Sun framed the match as a personal duel settled by Villa's No. 11, with Watkins upstaging Chelsea's Cole Palmer after Morgan Rogers provided the assist for the equaliser.
The result leaves Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, who served a touchline ban in the stands, with much to ponder, while Aston Villa's travelling supporters left Stamford Bridge serenading their team with chants of "We're going to win the league."
