Marco Asensio scored his first Premier League goals as Aston Villa came from behind to beat Chelsea 2-1 on Saturday.
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Asensio dragged Villa level just before the hour at Villa Park, with his goal given by the referee after a VAR review deemed the original call of offside was incorrect.
The Spain international – who is on loan from Paris Saint-Germain – completed the turnaround in the 89th minute, when his strike squirmed through Filip Jorgensen’s grasp.
Both of Asensio's goals were assisted by fellow January signing Marcus Rashford, a half-time substitute.
Enzo Fernandez had put Chelsea ahead in the ninth minute, finishing from close range after fine work from Pedro Neto.
Cole Palmer squandered a great chance to put Chelsea back ahead, and the Blues were made to pay as Asensio’s late winner moved them up to seventh, a point and a place behind Enzo Maresca’s team.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 |
Man City
MCI
|
25 | +17 | 44 |
| 5 |
Bournemouth
BOU
|
26 | +14 | 43 |
| 6 |
Chelsea
CHE
|
26 | +12 | 43 |
| 7 |
Aston Villa
AVL
|
27 | -2 | 42 |
| 8 |
Newcastle
NEW
|
25 | +9 | 41 |
| 9 |
Brighton
BHA
|
26 | +4 | 40 |
How the match unfolded
Chelsea were dealt an early blow when Trevoh Chalobah was forced off injured after just eight minutes, but that frustration turned to jubilation when Neto burst down the right and centred for Fernandez to convert.
Ollie Watkins was twice denied at the other end, first by Jorgensen, then by Marc Cucurella, though Unai Emery decided Rashford was required to add some fresh impetus from the bench for the second half.
That change paid off in the 57th minute. Rashford latched onto Matty Cash’s cross and nudged the ball back across the six-yard box for Asensio to hook home. The goal was initially disallowed for offside, but the referee ultimately awarded it after a VAR review.
#AVLCHE – 57’ VAR OVERTURN
— Premier League Match Centre (@PLMatchCentre) February 22, 2025
VAR checked the referee’s call of no goal for Aston Villa - and established that Rashford was in an onside position in the build-up and recommended that the goal was awarded. pic.twitter.com/QWMlNwphl9
Palmer had a glorious chance to restore Chelsea’s lead when he raced in behind but, after getting the ball stuck under his feet, his effort was blocked by the backtracking Ezri Konsa, paving the way for Asensio to settle the contest in dramatic fashion.
Rashford makes his mark
Asensio took the headlines with his brace, but Rashford was just as integral to Villa’s comeback, playing a key role in both goals.
It has been a difficult season for Rashford, who elected to leave Manchester United after falling out of favour under Ruben Amorim.
He now has a big chance to shine at Villa, though, both domestically and in the UEFA Champions League.
Though he had to settle for a place on the bench initially, Rashford ensured he repaid Emery’s decision to throw him in.
Despite the assistant referee’s original call of offside for Asensio’s equaliser, Rashford timed his run to perfection, capitalising on a lapse in focus from Gusto, who did manage to get a toe to Cash’s delivery but was only able to loop it up.
Rashford still had work to do to send it across for Asensio, however, who likewise showed quick feet to finish, with Reece James failing to clear it off the line.
Rashford crafted two more opportunities, first whipping in a delightful free-kick that caused havoc in Chelsea’s box, before he played in Donyell Malen.
It was Rashford who then drilled in the flat, crisp cross from which Asensio finished, albeit with a helping hand from Jorgensen’s error. Next up for Villa is a trip to Crystal Palace on Tuesday.
Chelsea’s goalkeeper conundrum causes issues
Robert Sanchez's loss of form has seen Maresca make the change and bring in Jorgensen over recent weeks, with the Dane – signed from Villarreal last year – starting Chelsea’s last three league matches.
For most of this encounter, Jorgensen performed well. He could do little about Villa’s equaliser, but had earlier stood tall to make a decent save from Watkins, and he did extremely well to close down Malen after the Dutchman got the better of Chelsea’s defensive line.
Yet it was from the resulting set-piece that Chelsea failed to clear their lines and, ultimately, their goalkeeper cost them a share of the points. Asensio’s volley was well-struck, with a bit of power behind it, but Jorgensen was positioned well and should have made a comfortable stop.
As it was, he let it slip through his grasp and squirm under his body.
With Chelsea embroiled in a tight battle for the European places, fine margins are going to be crucial.
The transfer window has been and gone, so Maresca will have to work with what he has got. His next task will be to get Jorgensen’s confidence up ahead of Chelsea hosting Southampton on Tuesday.
Club reports
Aston Villa report | Chelsea report
What the managers said
Unai Emery: "In the last match at home [against Liverpool], we were playing more or less good but it wasn't enough. We can get points by playing well but also by trying to avoid mistakes."
Enzo Maresca: "It is a tough one. Because compared to the game against Brighton, the performance and reaction were good. At the moment, we are in a bad run. But we need to stick together and try to win games. I have a feeling we will go again if we win a game. Until that, we need to work hard and try to get the win as soon as possible."
Next PL fixtures
Key facts
Villa have won three matches in the Premier League this season in which they trailed at half-time, their joint-most ever in a Premier League season along with 2007/08.
Chelsea have lost two Premier League games this season when ahead at half time, more such defeats than in the previous five seasons combined (one). Only in 1996/97 (three) have they lost more in a single campaign.
Villa have won 18 points from losing positions in the Premier League this season, more than any other team, while 13 of the 15 points Chelsea have dropped from winning positions in 2024/25 have come since Boxing Day 2024 – more than any other side.
Asensio scored his fifth brace in Europe's top five leagues (three for Real Madrid, one for Espanyol and one for Villa) and his first since netting a hat-trick for Real Madrid against Mallorca in September 2021.
