Palmer stars as Chelsea go third and extend Villa's winless run

Cole Palmer’s sublime strike capped off a fantastic 3-0 win for Chelsea over Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

With second-place Arsenal winning on Saturday, Chelsea took the chance to keep the pressure on the Gunners and moved – at least temporarily – above Manchester City in the process.

Nicolas Jackson opened the scoring with his eighth league goal of the season when he tucked away Marc Cucurella’s centre.

Enzo Fernandez doubled Chelsea’s lead before half-time, while Palmer’s superb 20-yard finish put the result beyond doubt in the 83rd minute.

Enzo Maresca’s side are in third place, level on points with Arsenal, while Villa slip to 12th having failed to win any of their last five Premier League matches.

Chelsea broke through after just seven minutes. Cucurella dispossessed Jaden Philogene and exchanged passes with Jadon Sancho, before the Spaniard’s cross was turned in by Jackson at the near post.

Villa saw a golden opportunity to level go begging when Ollie Watkins, after showing his strength to regain possession on the edge of Chelsea’s box, shot straight at Robert Sanchez from close range.

Some haphazard goalkeeping from Emiliano Martinez handed Chelsea a pair of good chances for a second goal, but they were not taken. However, the Blues did double their advantage in the 36th minute, Fernandez prodding into the bottom-right corner after combining with Palmer.

The visitors’ problems continued when Martinez was forced off with an injury at half-time. Nevertheless, they sought a response upon the restart and John McGinn’s low drive was pushed away by Sanchez.

However, Villa’s comeback hopes were all but extinguished when Palmer curled a wonderful effort into the top-left corner, giving Martinez’s replacement Robin Olsen little chance and compounding a miserable day for Unai Emery’s team.

Chelsea were quick out of the blocks, with their fast start spearheaded by Jackson, who scored an opening goal for the sixth time in the Premier League this season.

Palmer had never previously assisted or scored a goal against Villa in the league, but he soon put that right by firing a pass into the feet of Fernandez, who finished brilliantly.

The England star then wrapped up the victory in magnificent fashion later on, scoring his 30th Premier League goal for the Blues in the process.

Chelsea’s momentum under Maresca is showing no signs of slowing down. Also keeping Villa out at the other end, they registered their first home clean sheet in the league this season.

More importantly, they are back level on points with Arsenal after the Gunners’ 5-2 win at West Ham United earlier on Saturday.

Chelsea are fully firing under Maresca, whose fluid attacking style is well-suited to the Blues’ youthful squad. Fernandez is getting forward from his deep midfield role, and Jackson is proving a constant threat. Casting aside one of last season’s standout teams is another feather in Maresca’s cap.

Travelling to Stamford Bridge without a victory in seven matches across all competitions, getting back to winning ways on Sunday was always going to be a tricky task for Villa.

However, it was a tale of two strikers inside the opening quarter of an hour.

While the in-form Jackson confidently finished at one end, Watkins’ recent run of poor form was evident as he shot straight at Sanchez at the other.

Martinez was then uncharacteristically careless. Not long after giving away an indirect free-kick, which Palmer was unable to convert, Villa’s No 1 played a pass across his own penalty area straight to Jackson, whose delayed reaction to the unexpected opportunity enabled the goalkeeper to lunge in and spare his own blushes.

However, Martinez injured himself in the process and had to make way for Olsen at half-time.

While they tightened up defensively, Villa struggled to generate a consistent attacking threat at the other end to get themselves back into the contest.

And they were completely helpless when Palmer waved his wand of a left foot to put the seal on a commanding Chelsea victory.

Chelsea report | Aston Villa report

Chelsea have lost just one of their last 14 home matches in the Premier League (W9 D4), while their 10 total league home wins in 2024 is their most at Stamford Bridge in a calendar year since 2021 (also 10).

Only Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (41 matches) has reached 30 Premier League goals for Chelsea in fewer appearances than Cole Palmer (46 matches).

Aston Villa have gone winless in five straight Premier League matches for the first time since August 2022 under Steven Gerrard; they are currently on the joint-longest streak without a victory in the top flight (five matches - level with Everton & Leicester).