Aston Villa vs Chelsea LIVE: FA Cup result and reaction after Enzo scores a stunning free kick as Blues win
Unai Emery’s side play hosts in this fourth round replay but who will reach the next stage of the competition?
Sign up to the Independent's betting newsletter for the latest tips and offers
Sign up to the Independent's betting newsletter
Chelsea silenced the doubters and relieved some of the mounting pressure on manager Mauricio Pochettino with a confident 3-1 win over Aston Villa in the FA Cup fourth round.
The west London club had slipped into the bottom half of the table following back to back defeats to Liverpool and Wolves, but a youthful Chelsea showed fight and spirit at Villa Park.
Conor Gallagher opened the scoring with his first goal of the season for Chelsea in the 11th minute, with Nicolas Jackson, who had just returned from the Africa Cup of Nations doubling his side’s lead 10 minutes later.
In the second half Enzo Fernandes all but secured his side’s place in the next round with a stunning free kick straight into the top corner, and even a late consolation goal from Moussa Diaby could not deter Chelsea.
The previous fixture between the teams ended in a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge with Villa creating more chances on goal despite Chelsea seeing more possession. With the support of their home fans the midlands club will be hoping to get over the line and set up a fifth-round clash against Leeds or Plymouth Argyle.
Follow all the action below plus get the latest odds and tips right here:
Chelsea ease pressure on Mauricio Pochettino with 3-1 win at Aston Villa
Pochettino was asked on ITV if it was their best performance of the season: “I think so. It was one of the best, maybe the best performance of the season. I am so happy with the performance and the way the players enjoyed playing football. That pleased me the most.
“We are a young team and being consistent is the most difficult thing in a young team. With a young team to find the balance is the most difficult thing.”
Chelsea ease pressure on Mauricio Pochettino with 3-1 win at Aston Villa
Chelsea stunned Aston Villa with a 3-1 win to march on in the FA Cup and ease the pressure on Mauricio Pochettino.
Enzo Fernandez’s sensational free-kick added to first-half goals from Conor Gallagher and Nicolas Jackson.
Moussa Diaby’s injury-time strike failed to ruin Chelsea’s night and the Blues now host Leeds in the fifth round.
Having been humbled 4-2 by Wolves and thumped 4-1 by Liverpool in their two previous games there was an expectation Chelsea would lurch further into crisis in their fourth-round replay at Villa Park.
Chelsea ease pressure on Mauricio Pochettino with 3-1 win at Aston Villa
Gallagher, Jackson and Fernandez scored to send Chelsea into the fifth round
Ben Chilwell and Conor Gallagher shared their thoughts after the 3-1 win
When asked whether it was now a case of maintaining the high standards set at Villa Park, Gallagher said: “That’s been our problem this season.
“We’ve had games where we’ve been brilliant and a lot of games where we’ve not been good enough, so we need to just try and find that consistency and we’re working every day to try and get that so we’ve just got to keep working hard and sticking together as a team.”
Ben Chilwell and Conor Gallagher shared their thoughts after the 3-1 win
On whether the manager needed the result, Chilwell said: “I think we all did, the players, the manager, the staff, everyone at the training ground, the fans.
“I think everyone associated with Chelsea needed that result today so it wasn’t just us or the manager it was everyone associated with the club, we knew we needed to deliver today to get to the next round and we did.”
Ben Chilwell and Conor Gallagher shared their thoughts after the 3-1 win
On his first goal of the season, Gallagher told ITV Sport: “Finally the first goal anyway.
“As Chilwell said, the boys were really determined to get a better performance today after the last two that weren’t good enough by our standards at all.
“So, the boys were up for it and I think we worked really hard today and it was a good performance.”
Ben Chilwell and Conor Gallagher shared their thoughts after the 3-1 win
Ben Chilwell to ITV Sport: “It was exactly the reaction we wanted and needed. It wasn’t about wanting the reaction, we actually needed it today, and we delivered it.
“So, fair play to all the boys, there was pressure going into the game, but we wanted that pressure a little bit and we thrived off it.
“The confidence before the game in the changing room was the best I’ve seen it to be honest, the togetherness and we did it on the pitch today.”
FT: Aston Villa 1-3
Full time: Mauricio Pochettino has inspired a Chelsea performance that has not been seen for a long time.
Gallagher scored his first goal of the season, Jackson came back from the Africa Cup of Nations to double his lead, but it was all capped off by a stunning free kick from Enzo Fernandes.
Aston Villa 1-3 Chelsea
90+4’ Martinez is forced into a late save, and Chelsea will have a corner which could be the final action of the evening.
Enzo has been given man of the match by the commentators for his performance, and stunning free kick.
Aston Villa 1-3 Chelsea
90+2’ Villa are not giving up, they have had a shot blocked out for a corner, and almost had another!
Iroegbunam had a header but it was straight at the Blues goalkeeper.
GOAL! Diaby scores late consolation - Aston Villa 1-3 Chelsea [90’]
GOAL! Diaby scores for Aston Villa!
That could be a late consolation goal, and it was scrappy, he fired it off the post and in after the ball was pulled back to Diaby in an unmarked position on the edge of the box.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies