Watkins Brace Seals Dramatic Comeback as Aston Villa Stun ChelseaLondon,
Ollie Watkins came off the bench to score twice, inspiring Aston Villa to a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and extending their remarkable winning streak to 11 games in all competitions.
Chelsea looked on course for a vital win when João Pedro poked home from close range in the 37th minute, capitalising on a Reece James delivery to give Enzo Maresca's side the lead. The Blues dominated much of the first half, but they couldn't build on their advantage and gradually faded after the break.Unai Emery's tactical changes paid off spectacularly.
Watkins, introduced as a substitute, levelled the scores in the 63rd minute with a composed finish before rising highest to head in a Youri Tielemans corner six minutes from time, sending the travelling Villa fans into ecstasy.
The result keeps Aston Villa firmly in the title hunt, moving them to third place with 39 points – just three behind leaders Arsenal and one adrift of Manchester City. It's their 11th straight win across all competitions, equalling a club record set over a century ago.For Chelsea, the defeat is a bitter blow, leaving them fifth on 29 points and struggling to keep pace with the top sides.
Despite a strong home record earlier in the season, Maresca's team have now dropped valuable points from winning positions too often.Emery praised his players' resilience afterwards, saying the squad's belief is growing with every game.
Villa's next test comes quickly against Arsenal, where another win could really shake up the Premier League race.This latest triumph underlines why Aston Villa are the form team in England right now – clinical, organised, and utterly relentless.
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