Chelsea failed to turn around their fortune as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Aston Villa at home on Monday. The west London side now has won only two of their last six Premier League fixtures and are placed sixth, behind Villa who climbed to fifth. Harvey Barnes saved Leicester City from losing in the other fixture against Crystal Palace.
Chelsea vs Aston Villa
Frank Lampard was disappointed with the result of Monday as he expressed to Sky Sports, “I was pleased, I’m not disappointed with anything tonight other than the fact we conceded that goal, and didn’t score another.” With six changes to the side from the last game against Arsenal, Chelsea opened the scoring when Olivier Giroud headed in sharply from a Chilwell cross. Christian Pulisic released Chilwell on the left for the latter to put in a cross in the 34th minute.
Five minutes into the second half, Aston Villa were rewarded for their pressing counter attacks. A stunning El Ghazi volley through the legs of Edouard Mendy from Matty Cash’s cross in the 50th minute was the final goal of the evening at Stamford Bridge.
Aston Villa boss Dean Smith told Sky Sports, “I’m pleased with the point, it’s a really good point. This is a tough place to come, they’ve rotated what is a really strong squad.”
Crystal Palace vs Leicester City:
Harvey Barnes, yet again got on the scoresheet with a long ranger against Roy Hodgson’s Palace on Monday. Leicester climbed to the 2nd spot in the Premier League table after the 1-1 draw against the home side. Leicester dominated throughout but failed to take their chances. They came close to open the scoring in the 18th minute but Iheanacho’s shot was blocked by the keeper Guaita who dived the right way.
Andros Townsend floated a cross to the far post for Zaha to volley home in the 58th minute. Barnes canceled out Zaha’s goal with his driving a low shot from the edge of the box past the outstretched arm of Guaita.
Roy Hodgson quipped to Sky Sports, “I’m really delighted with the second-half performance, which was back to the Crystal Palace I have been used to seeing and what I think we are capable of doing.”
“We’re disappointed with the result in terms of having control of the first half. We had opportunities and if we can get the first goal then it can give us a good foothold in the game. I thought we deserved that in the first half but you’ve got to take your chances,” Brendan Rodgers told Sky Sports.
