For the second successive post-Christmas game, Chelsea lost 2-1 having opened the scoring, leaving the home supporters disappointed just as they did against Fulham on Boxing Day of last season, with the same result and same manner of defeat.
Manager **Enzo**Marsha brought in Benoit Badiashile for Wesley Fofana and continued with Alejandro Garnacho on the left side of the attack as Chelsea took on a strident Aston Villa, who were looking for their eleventh consecutive win.
Here are four things we learnt from the Villans' victory over the Blues.
First-half hits
Despite the end result, Chelsea were the dominant team in the first forty-five minutes with the highlight being when captain Reece James thought he had scored an olympico straight from a corner kick to open the scoring. However, replays showed that striker Joao Pedro had managed to get the final touch past the Argentinian World Cup winning goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez.
oao Pedro of Chelsea celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on December 27, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
Chelsea's first half performance would have provided confidence in their ability to take all three points in this fixture, but Villa and Unai Emery had other ideas as they swept to their eleventh straight win.
Sancho's Support
Just last season, Jadon Sancho scored a goal that secured Chelsea's UEFA Europa Conference League win against Real Betis as he spent the season on loan in West London. Returning to Stamford Bridge as a second half substitute for the visitors, he received a hostile reception when donning the claret and blue of Villa.
Jadon Sancho of Aston Villa is challenged by former teammate Malo Gusto of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on December 27, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)
Despite apparently having the opportunity to stay a part of the project at Chelsea, he chose to move on and see out his contract as a Manchester United player, albeit on loan, with the winger available to leave on a free transfer in the summer.
Having joined Aston Villa, Sancho has now spent the last three seasons away from Old Trafford, where he has been estranged having cost the Red Devils over £80 million in transfer fees alone, with three separate teams in Borussia Dortmund, and Chelsea prior to donning Villa's claret and blue.
Watkins wins it
The arrival of Ollie Watkins onto the pitch in the second half provided immediate impact, with the England international scoring an equaliser soon after he was substituted on in the second half.
Watkins ultimately went on to score the winning goal in the concluding ten minutes of the game to provide a sucker punch to the home side and their supporters and keep Aston Villa firmly in the top four and fighting for a place in next seasons UEFA Champions League.
Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa celebrates after scoring the winning goal during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on December 27, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images)
Palmed Off
Since November, Chelsea's form has taken a deep dive, leaving the Londoners with just three points from their last five Premier League fixtures. Their only win coming in their 2-0 home win over Everton, losing out on a total of ten points in the month of December.
An upcoming home game against Bournemouth on December 30th, Chelsea's last of 2025, presents an opportunity to double their points tally for this month.
Cole Palmer of Chelsea in action during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on December 27, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images)
A difficult few weeks for Enzo Maresca ends with Chelsea in fifth place in the table and thirteen points adrift of leaders and London rivals, Arsenal. Not helped by the injury to Cole Palmer, who has only featured in only eight league games in the season to date.
Since returning, Chelsea's talisman has been unable to complete ninety minutes over this congested period and left the field reluctantly in place of the returning Estevao, who was unable to make any impact on the game, despite his warm welcome from the home support.