The Belgian international scores one and wins a penalty, as the Blues win comfortably in this huge Boxing Day clash. The victory keeps Tuchel’s men in the hunt for EPL glory!
Striker, Romelu Lukaku, netted to get Chelsea back on track in the race for the English Premier League (EPL) title on Sunday, with a 3-1 victory, away to Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa.
Thomas Tuchel’s outfit had collected just one win in their previous four EPL games, but Chelsea turned things around on Sunday, as they came from one down, to claim a vital win in the Midlands.
Villa looked the better side in the opening stages, with striker, Ollie Watkins, flying down the left and into the 18-yard box several times, but with no end product.
The home team’s early pressure paid off when they broke the deadlock through a Reece James own goal, just before the half-hour mark. Villa left-back, Matt Targett, played in a cross, but it deflected off James’ head and perfectly lobbed Chelsea goalkeeper, Édouard Mendy.
Jorginho levelled the scores from the penalty spot on 34 minutes for the visitors, after forward, Callum Hudson-Odoi, was naively hacked down from behind by defender, Matthew Cash.
Lukaku came off the bench at half-time and proved to be the difference. The Belgian powered his side into the lead, with a nodded effort into the far bottom corner, after a fantastic cross from Hudson-Odoi.
Mason Mount wasted a gilt-edged opportunity to extend Chelsea’s lead when he dribbled past opposing goalkeeper, Emiliano Martínez, but failed to find the back of an unguarded net.
Lukaku got in behind Villa’s defence in injury time, before winning Chelsea’s second penalty of the match when he was brought down by Ezri Konsa, allowing Jorginho to coolly stroke home, with the clocking showing 93 minutes.
“I needed a performance like this. It’s been difficult getting [on at] the end of games. I kept working hard. I’m happy with my performance and have to push on,” the Blues striker said.
Chelsea remain 3rd in the EPL table, six adrift of leaders, Manchester City. Meanwhile, Villa move down to 11th, with 22 points, after 18 games played.
