Chelsea vs Aston Villa - LIVE!
Wounded Chelsea have now won just one of their last five Premier League matches after a frustrating recent run continued on Monday night.
Looking to bounce back from a damaging sequence of three defeats in four games that included a listless 3-1 London derby loss at Arsenal on Boxing Day, the Blues went ahead in the first half at Stamford Bridge courtesy of Olivier Giroud’s header.
However, Chelsea - who showed six changes for their second fixture in 48 hours - were pegged back just five minutes after the interval thanks to another strike from the in-form Anwar El Ghazi.
The result means Chelsea sit sixth, behind fifth-placed Villa on goal difference ahead of Sunday’s clash with Manchester City.
That match could now be in jeopardy after a Covid-19 outbreak in the City camp led to the postponement of Monday’s meeting with Everton at Goodison Park.
Follow all the reaction with Standard Sport’s blog below.
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Lampard was also quizzed about Sunday’s clash with Manchester City and the potential for a postponement after City’s trip to Everton was called off due to a Covid-19 outbreak…
"We will have to cross that bridge when it comes," he said. "Covid is strange times for all of us for different reasons.
"I think we all sensed that this month might be a tough one with what has been happening pre-Christmas with the surge and the difficulties the public have got and football has been having.
"Secondary will be football, if we don't play those games we will keep working but we will keep everyone safe first and foremost."
Lampard: Chelsea are in a tough moment
"I got a reaction in performance, started really well and we got a goal we deserved," Lampard said on Amazon Prime Video. "We conceded when we had a man on the floor and that is the run we are on in the minute.
"When you are in a tough moment things don't go for you, a month ago we probably win that game, things go for you with a little bit of belief.
"Now it is a tough moment, but we have to fight through it. But I can't ask for more than what the players gave, the way they worked for it. Nobody let me down today."
Smith: In-form Villa not setting targets
“We are not setting targets at the moment,” Dean Smith told Amazon Prime Video. "We are just working game to game, we have got a really important period coming up.
"We have got 10 points out of the last four games and it sets us up for a big period against the top teams. The lads are looking forward to the games.
"Even though we only played 48 hours ago, the lads were looking forward to the game.
“Everybody has seen there is a lot of strange results in this league. We know we can compete with the best in the league.”
Standard Sport’s James Robson
Ultimately that’s another frustrating day for Chelsea.
Credit to Villa, who proved themselves to be a serious prospect - but Chelsea would expect to overcome this kind of opposition, particularly at home.
Full-time
Chelsea 1-1 Aston Villa
More frustration for the Blues.
93 mins: Chilwell is agonisingly close to a sublime last-gasp winner.
He arrows a majestic, swerving left-footed volley inches wide of the far post after being teed up by Hudson-Odoi.
That certainly would have lifted Lampard’s spirits.
FOUR minutes of added time signalled at Stamford Bridge. Is there a late twist in the tale to come?
88 mins: Konsa does well to stay with Havertz and deny the German a scoring opportunity as Hause then soars high to head clear a late Chelsea corner.
86 mins: Smith looks to his bench for the second time tonight, with Keinan Davis on for former Chelsea man Traore.
Remarkable effort from these Villa players, just 48 hours after the Boxing Day win over Crystal Palace. A reminder that they made just one (enforced) change for this contest.
83 mins: A sight of goal for Werner, but he gets too much height on a curled effort that whistles over the crossbar.
Still no luck since November 7 for the German striker.