Marco Asensio doubles up to steer Aston Villa to win over Chelsea

Unai Emery recently graded Aston Villa’s season as a seven out of 10 at best, acknowledging while their progress in Europe has been eye-catching, they needed to kick-start their Premier League campaign. Just as it seemed they would extend their winless run to six matches, the Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jörgensen made a mess of a routine save, inadvertently giving Villa the leg-up they had been looking for, allowing Marco Asensio’s side-foot volley from Marcus Rashford’s cross after a short corner to slip through his gloves. Rashford’s half-time arrival proved inspired given he also laid the ball on for Asensio to cancel out Enzo Fernández’s opener.

Thousands of Villa fans had spent the previous 24 hours plotting their second trip to Brugge in four months but for all of its pluses the Champions League has undoubtedly damaged their league form. Unai Emery has highlighted as much, unable to hide his mixed feelings on their season so far. Villa won six points from a possible 24 after midweek exertions in Europe in the league phase and an enthralling duel with Liverpool on Wednesday appeared to drain Emery’s side here. Villa were weary and discombobulated for much of the first half, though Ollie Watkins saw a couple of efforts blocked in quick succession, one by Jörgensen, the other by a sprawling Marc Cururella.

Chelsea quickly settled, Tyrone Mings blocking a Pedro Neto shot within the first couple of minutes and even an apparent back injury for Trevoh Chalobah, who was replaced by Tosin Adarabioyo, did not break their stride. In fact, it was less than a minute after Chalobah departed that Neto flew down the right flank, skinning the former Chelsea defender Ian Maatsen, and sent a superb cross into the six-yard box. Moisés Caicedo flipped the ball wide to Neto and his cross allowed Fernández, pushed forward behind Neto, a false 9, a simple finish. Villa’s revamped back four – only Mings remained from midweek with Axel Disasi ineligible to face his parent club – were easily unpicked. Ezri Konsa, a key pillar of this Villa team, returned from injury alongside Mings and Matty Cash replaced Andrés García.

Emery was going berserk on the touchline, dragging players into position. Enzo Maresca was bouncing in his technical area after Fernández went close to doubling Chelsea’s advantage. Malo Gusto retrieved a ball close to a corner flag at the Villa end and fed Cole Palmer, who promptly floated a ball towards the back post but Fernández could not head it goalwards. Fernández then curled an effort on to the roof of Emiliano Martínez’s net after Christopher Nkunku pickpocketed Cash, who was quick to apologise to his teammates. It was that kind of sluggish half from the hosts. Palmer and Nkunku also tried their luck from distance, the former after teasing Mings on the edge of the box, sensing a vulnerability that has stalked Villa.

Marco Asensio of Aston Villa (left) watches as Filip Jörgensen fails to stop his shot. Photograph: Tim Keeton/EPA

Emery, not backwards in expressing the need to register victory after four points from their previous five league matches, recognised something had to change. That something came in the shape of Rashford, determined to make his mark on loan from Manchester United, who entered in place of Jacob Ramsey at the interval. The early signs were encouraging, Rashford keeping a pinged Youri Tielemans pass in play on the left flank before driving into the box. Up the other end Neto flashed another shot wide after Mings’s misguided attempt to dribble between Palmer and the Portuguese.

If Villa have shown defects, then so too have Chelsea, who came into this game after successive defeats at Brighton, most recently in the league. Chelsea had double the shot count but Villa levelled approaching the hour, Asensio’s goal, initially ruled offside, was awarded following a check by the video assistant referee, Paul Tierney.

Gusto’s attempt to cut out Cash’s cross towards the back post inadvertently served to control the ball for Rashford, who, played onside by Fernández, instinctively prodded the ball across the six-yard box for Asensio to convert.

Chelsea were left to rue Palmer, usually such a cold-blooded finisher, squandering a chance to regain the lead on 75 minutes. Caicedo threaded Palmer through one on one with Martínez, the England forward wandering behind Lamare Bogarde. What happened next was a touch slapstick, a Martínez slip spooking Palmer, who then slipped himself at the pivotal moment. By the time Palmer sent a tame shot at goal, a covering Konsa was there to clear. Jorgensen saved superbly to deny the substitute Donyell Malen but Chelsea paid a hefty price for his error seconds later.