Villa Triumph Over Chelsea: A Step Closer to Historic Win Streak

A highly anticipated clash unfolded at Stamford Bridge as Aston Villa, currently ranked third in the Premier League, faced Chelsea, who recently slipped to fifth place after Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier in the day.

Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea sought to extend their unbeaten streak, which included victories against Everton and Cardiff City, alongside a recent draw with Newcastle United.

On the other side, Aston Villa aimed to build on an impressive run of form, having secured victories against notable opponents like Arsenal and Manchester United in the league, along with successes over Swiss clubs Young Boys and Basel in the Europa League.

Chelsea’s forward, Pedro, opened the scoring for the hosts, capitalizing on a corner kick from Reece James that inadvertently deflected off him into the net.

As the first half drew to a close, England international Ollie Watkins, who had been observing from the bench, was brought into the game by manager Unai Emery as part of a tactical shift to rejuvenate Villa’s performance. His impact was immediate as he equalized just five minutes after entering the pitch, receiving a brilliant through ball from Morgan Rogers and deftly slotting it past Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.

Villa continued to press for a winner, and their persistence paid off when Watkins scored again, heading home from a corner taken by Youri Tielemans, igniting jubilation among the visiting Villa supporters in London.

With this victory, Villa secured another three points, contributing to an outstanding 2025-26 season for the club. The jubilant supporters were heard chanting, ‘We’re going to win the league’ as the final whistle blew.

Following their triumph over Chelsea, Villa matched their all-time record of eleven consecutive wins, previously set in 1897 and 1914. They now have the opportunity to break this record in their upcoming match against league leaders Arsenal.

In a post-match interview, Watkins expressed optimism about Villa’s title aspirations, stating, “I feel like teams are worried about us… We’re taking each game as it comes.” He praised Emery, calling him a “tactical genius” for his strategic adjustments that allowed Villa to regain control of the match.

Emery, who took the helm at Villa in October 2022, reciprocated the praise, commending Watkins for his focus and execution of the game plan. However, he tempered expectations regarding a title race, acknowledging the long season ahead and emphasizing the importance of concentrating on each match as it comes.