Grealish is shown a yellow card after a frustrated lunge.
FULL TIME: Aston Villa 1-2 Chelsea
90' +5
Trezeguet elects to shoot from the free-kick and it drifts harmlessly straight at Kepa who saves easily.
90' +4
N. Kanté gets yellow.
Kante is booked for his cynical trip to stop Grealish.
Grealish tirelessly drives through the heart of the Chelsea midfield and earns a free-kick to give Villa one last opportunity to hurl a set-piece into the box.
90' +3
Villa are finally beginning to show more urgency after Jota's chance, but Chelsea are doing a good job of slowing the game down in the final minutes.
90' +1
Five minutes of stoppage time are added as Villa desperately search for an equaliser.
90'
R. James enters the game and replaces Willian.
Willian is replaced by James as Chelsea attempt to tighten up at the back.
87'
Jota Peleteiro enters the game and replaces J. McGinn.
Chelsea are continuing to create chances regularly and if any team is to find another goal, you suspect it'd be the away side.
McGinn is replaced by Jota as Villa desperately throw more men forward.
84'
Willian curls in another corner towards the six-yard box where it's met by Abraham who nods a tame header wide.
82'
Villa's substitutions have done little to alter the flow of the game - you get the sense that it's going to take the hosts something exceptional to find an equaliser.
80'
T. Abraham enters the game and replaces O. Giroud.
Giroud makes way for Abraham after putting in a crafty performance that was capped off by the Frenchman grabbing Chelsea's second goal.
Minute
Description
78'
Chelsea have been less inclined to push numbers forward since the Giroud goal, but they win another corner that Nyland rises to claim above a sea of players.
76'
Villa only look like threatening from set-pieces currently. They've rarely managed to string passing moves together and instead, they're relying on Grealish's quick feet to draw fouls on the break.
74'
Grealish clips in another set-piece for the hosts but it drifts away from the box and Chelsea fend it away from harm.
70'
M. Nakamba enters the game and replaces C. Hourihane.
Trézéguet enters the game and replaces A. El Ghazi.
Nakamba comes on for Hourihane as Villa search for more energy in midfield.
El Ghazi makes way for Trezeguet as the hosts look for fresh ideas up top.
66'
Villa will need to quickly change their shape now: they were designed to sit deep and restrict Chelsea today, but those two sudden goals will change their plans entirely.
64'
Well, Chelsea and Azpilicueta have turned this game on its head! Prior to the equaliser they were looking like they were running out of ideas, but Pulisic's goal has given them a real burst of adrenaline!
62'
O. Giroud has scored a goal for Chelsea! Assist by César Azpilicueta.
It's a second assist in a matter of minutes for Azpilicueta, who this time lays it off to Giroud with an immaculate pass, allowing the physical striker to rifle a deflected shot past Nyland!
CHELSEA SCORE AGAIN! 2-1! Giroud makes it two in quick succession! The away side push forward eagerly after equalising and work a wonderful move that culminates with Azpilicueta squaring a pass to Giroud, who takes a touch before lashing a deflected shot beyond Nyland from 12 yards!
60'
C. Pulišić has scored a goal for Chelsea! Assist by César Azpilicueta.
Azpilicueta has been a constant menace in this second half and his pressure tells eventually with the perfect cross to set up Pulisic for the equaliser!
CHELSEA EQUALISE! 1-1! The away side were making constant inroads down the right and it's paid off! Azpilicueta finds himself in space once more near the byline and this time he swings in a perfect cross that whips past Mings and towards Pulisic, who crashes it into the net from close range
59'
Azpilicueta drives down the right before fizzing a low cross in towards the near post where Giroud slides in and just misses the delivery.
57'
M. Samatta enters the game and replaces K. Davis.
Davis is replaced by Samatta after a tireless display where he was often isolated on his own up top.
Well, these two substitutions show a statement of intent from Lampard and Chelsea. Villa have defended stoutly again in this second period and the away side have responded by introducing two attacking midfielders.
55'
R. Barkley enters the game and replaces M. Kovačić.
C. Pulišić enters the game and replaces R. Loftus-Cheek.
Azpilicueta clips in yet another cross from the right and it's met my Giroud who powers his header well over the bar.
Loftus-Cheek makes way for Pulisic after a quiet return from injury.
Kovacic is replaced by Barkley as Chelsea search for more invention in midfield.
54'
Willian finds himself in acres of space down the right and curls in a neat cross that Mount nods a few yards wide of the near post.
53'
Chelsea are consistently attacking down the right flank right now and they're causing plenty of problems. Targett is looking outmatched by the duo of Willian and Azpilicueta and Villa might want to find a way to protect him.
51'
Rudiger slices a clearance and for a moment it looks as though El Ghazi will sneak through on goal, but the defender recovers to force the Villa attacker wide and Chelsea eventually fend off the danger.
47'
Chelsea purposefully move forward and force a corner from an Azpilicueta cross. Villa manage to clear the resulting set-piece easily, but if Chelsea can maintain this tempo they should continue to cause problems.
46'
Chelsea get us underway for the second 45.
45' +4
HALF TIME: Aston Villa 1-0 Chelsea
45' +3
Chelsea try to reply immediately from a corner, but Alonso's volley from 20 yards is blocked away for another set-piece.
45' +2
Chelsea will be incredibly disappointed to concede that goal. After dominating the half without any reward, they switched off from a routine set-piece and allowed Villa to snatch an unlikely lead.
45'
E. Konsa gets yellow.
Konsa is shown the game's first yellow card for a cynical trip near the halfway line.
43'
K. Hause has scored a goal for Aston Villa!
ASTON VILLA TAKE THE LEAD! 1-0! Well, it's against the run of play, but the hosts won't mind that at all! Villa win a free-kick that they work short, before Douglas Luiz chips in an inviting cross that Hause bundles beyond Kepa and into the net at the second attempt!
38'
Azpilicueta plays an intricate one-two with Giroud on the edge of the area, but his final touch into the box is poor and the ball bobbles towards Targett who hacks it away from danger.
36'
The hosts are enjoying their brightest spell of the game as El Ghazi surges down the left flank before clipping a cross into McGinn who glances a header a few yards wide of the far post.
33'
Kovacic drils a low shot from 25 yards that Nyland initially fumbles before claiming at the second attempt.
29'
Azpilicueta chips a measured cross from the byline towards Loftus-Cheek, but Hourihane arrives just in time to intercept the delivery and clear.
25'
The game is paused for a drinks break at the perfect moment for Aston Villa. They were just beginning to buckle under the Chelsea pressure and a chance to refresh themselves is surely welcome.
23'
Mount's effort seems to have worried Villa slightly; the hosts have dropped even deeper as Chelsea strengthen their control of the game.
19'
Another slow Chelsea move breaks down after Rudiger clips a crossfield pass away for a throw-in - Villa will be pleased with their solid start so far.
17'
The hosts win their first corner of the game and Grealish works it short, before picking out El Ghazi, who has a shot bravely charged down by Christensen on the edge of the area.
15'
Chelsea patiently probe Villa with a series of lateral passes outside the penalty area, before Azpilicueta floats a misguided cross out of play.
13'
Villa look like they've set up to frustrate Chelsea early on: the hosts are sitting deep and are allowing the Chelsea backline to pass it around without any real pressure. However, once the away side enter the Villa half, they're finding it difficult to get in behind their structured defence.
11'
The away side surge forward once more and this time Willian cuts inside from the right flank before hitting a low shot towards goal that Nyland saves easily.
9'
Chelsea win the game's first corner, but Willian's delivery is tame and Konsa nods it clear.
6'
Chelsea have started brightly so far and in their latest foray forward, Azpilicueta floats a deep cross towards the back-post, where it's met by Loftus-Cheek, who heads a wayward effort well wide.
4'
Willian finds a pocket of space in the Villa half and promptly drives towards goal before laying it off to Mount, who fizzes a cross towards goal which Mings firmly clears.
2'
Davis latches onto a hopeful long pass and cleverly draws a foul from Rudiger 25 yards from goal. However, the resulting delivery from Grealish is overhit and Kepa gathers it comfortably.
1'
Aston Villa kick off and get us underway.
Hello and welcome to live commentary of this Premier League fixture between Aston Villa and Chelsea. The hosts enter this one in 19th place and deep in the midst of a relegation battle after losing four of their last six games. Nevertheless, Villa be hopeful today after securing a promising draw and clean sheet against Sheffield United last time out.
Chelsea, on the other hand, arrive in much better form – they’ve lost just once in their last six. They’ll be looking to pick up three points today and continue their push towards Champions League qualification.
SUBS: Willy Caballero, Pedro, Christian Pulisic, Reece James, Emerson, Ross Barkley, Billy Gilmour, Kurt Zouma, Tammy Abraham.
CHELSEA (4-3-3): Kepa Arrizabalaga; Cesar Azpilicueta, Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, Marcos Alonso; Ruben Loftus-Cheek, N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic; Willian, Olivier Giroud, Mason Mount.
The players are emerging from the tunnel and kick off is just seconds away!
ASTON VILLA (4-3-3): Orjan Nyland; Ezri Konsa Ngoyo, Tyrone Mings, Kortney Hause, Matt Targett; Conor Hourihane, Douglas Luiz, John McGinn; Anwar El Ghazi, Keinan Davis, Jack Grealish.
SUBS: Marvelous Nakamba, Jota, Indiana Vassilev, Neil Taylor, Pepe Reina, Ahmed El Mohamady, Mbwana Samatta, Trezeguet, Borja Baston.
Nevertheless, if Chelsea dominate the game in the same manner going forward, you'd expect them to find an equaliser and perhaps more. Villa will need to find a way to restrict the away side more effectively if they're to hang onto all three points.
That's all for now though, goodbye!
The result means that Chelsea strengthen their grip on fourth place by extending the gap between them and fifth-placed Manchester United to five points. Aston Villa, meanwhile, remain in 19th and miss an opportunity to escape the relegation zone.
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