How the national media reported on Aston Villa's comeback win against Chelsea on Saturday evening
Aston Villa's Amadou Onana and Ollie Watkins
Aston Villa's Amadou Onana and Ollie Watkins(Image: George Tewkesbury/Shutterstock)
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Aston Villa earned their 11th successive victory on Saturday night after coming from behind to defeat Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bridge.
Ollie Watkins won the game for Unai Emery’s side, coming off the bench before the hour mark and turning the match on its head.
He scored his fourth and fifth league goals of the season, keeping Villa within three points of league leaders Arsenal ahead of their trip to the Emirates on Tuesday night.
Here’s how the national media reacted to Villa’s win...
The Telegraph
By Matt Law
Are Aston Villa in the Premier League title race? Frankly, who cares as long as Unai Emery’s team keep all of us on the edge of our seats for a little while longer.Serving a touchline ban, head coach Enzo Maresca appeared angry as he perched on the edge of his seat after watching Chelsea throw away the lead from his position in the stands.And Maresca had to listen to Villa’s fans serenade Stamford Bridge with a rendition of “We’re going to win the league” after they saw a double from substitute Ollie Watkins secure an 11th successive victory and keep their team just three points behind leaders Arsenal.
BBC
By Phil McNulty
Aston Villa's fans believe it. Aston Villa's players look like they believe it. Unai Emery will never say if he believes it.
One thing, however, can no longer be denied - Aston Villa must now be taken seriously as Premier League title contenders.
Emery met the inevitable question about whether Villa can mount a challenge with the straightest of bats: "Not really. We are competing very well. We are third in the league behind Arsenal and Manchester City. Wow." Wow indeed.
Daily Mail
By Kieran Gill
Long before Aston Villa realised they were also allowed to attack, Chelsea had so many chances to kill this contest, but therein lied the problem: they lack killers.
Joao Pedro led the line for Enzo Maresca and scored somewhat flukily after Reece James’ brilliant cross from a corner nicked his backside. Yet you watch Chelsea, you see them create chances galore, and rarely do you get that ‘they could score here’ sense of anticipation in your stomach.
It is all so wasteful. Alejandro Garnacho might get himself into a good position, only to then balloon the ball into the Shed End. Pedro Neto might skip by his man, only to then find nobody with his cross. Chelsea have attackers galore who can nick a goal here and there, from Garnacho to Neto to Jamie Gittens to Enzo Fernandez, but are craving that ultra clinical finisher.
Sky Sports
By Peter Smith
For 59 minutes, Aston Villa were pummelled onto the ropes by Chelsea. Trailing 1-0 at Stamford Bridge, Unai Emery had to act. His triple sub transformed the game.
Ollie Watkins was the hero, scoring twice in what Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp called "one of the great impacts of a sub in Premier League history".
But Jadon Sancho and Amadou Onana, who were also sent on with Watkins, played their part as Villa's intensity and attacking thrust went to a new level.
The Sun
By Dan King
A game that was supposed to be all about who should be England’s No10 was settled by Aston Villa’s No11.
Former Three Lions hero Ollie Watkins came off the bench to score two centre-forward’s goals and give Morgan Rogers the bragging rights over friend and rival Cole Palmer.
Rogers set up Watkins’ equaliser to win that personal duel with Palmer. But until Watkins came on just before the hour as part of a triple substitution by Villa boss Unai Emery, Chelsea were deservedly heading for victory thanks to Joao Pedro’s flukey first-half goal.