Chelsea suffered their third defeat in the English Premier League on Sunday, falling 1-0 to Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge.
Aston Villa secured all three points with Ollie Watkins’ 73rd-minute goal. Watkins took on Colwill with a strong run, and although the defender blocked his initial shot, Watkins made no mistake with the rebound, burying the ball into the left post.
Earlier in the match, former Barcelona left-back Lucas Digne almost beat Chelsea’s goalkeeper, Sanchez, with a powerful shot, but the keeper managed to tip the ball over the bar.
Chelsea’s striker, Jackson, had a promising opportunity to score, but his weak left-footed strike was saved by Martinez.
Sanchez was called into action again in the 39th minute, making another save to deny Nicolo Zaniolo’s volley.
Just before halftime, Chelsea’s Alex Disasi headed the ball into the net, but it was ruled offside.
Two minutes into the second half, Raheem Sterling had a clear chance to score after a sublime pass from Thiago Silva, but Martinez came to the rescue for Aston Villa.
Chelsea’s troubles continued late in the second half when they were reduced to 10 men. French right-back Malo Gusto received his second yellow card for a late challenge on Digne, resulting in his expulsion from the field.
The Blues continue to struggle to find their best form in the new season, accumulating only five points from their opening six matches. Chelsea previously played to a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth and suffered a loss to Nottingham Forest at home.
