By Olaitan Ibrahim
Marco Asensio delivered a match-winning performance for Aston Villa, scoring twice to propel his side to a 2-1 victory over Chelsea in a thrilling Premier League encounter on Saturday.
Chelsea initially seized the advantage early in the match, with Enzo Fernández finding the net in the ninth minute.
The Argentine midfielder latched onto a well-timed pass from Pedro Neto and fired home from close range to put the Blues ahead.
Aston Villa responded with relentless attacking intent, with Ollie Watkins testing Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen on multiple occasions.
Watkins saw a powerful low drive saved in the 19th minute before another close-range effort was blocked just two minutes later.
Meanwhile, Chelsea threatened to double their lead, with Christopher Nkunku and Cole Palmer both coming close, only to be denied by Villa’s defensive resilience and Emiliano Martinez’s goalkeeping heroics.
Villa’s persistence paid off in the 57th minute when Marcus Rashford picked out Asensio with a precise pass, allowing the Spaniard to slot the ball into an empty net for the equaliser.
The celebrations were momentarily paused as VAR reviewed the goal for a potential offside, but after a tense wait, the decision stood, much to the relief of the home crowd.
Chelsea pushed forward in search of a winner, with Palmer coming close again in the 70th and 76th minutes, but his finishing lacked the accuracy needed to restore Chelsea’s lead.
As the match approached its climax, Villa delivered the decisive blow in the 89th minute. Rashford once again turned provider, picking out Asensio at the edge of the box. The former Real Madrid man made no mistake, rifling a low first-time shot past Jorgensen to send Villa Park into raptures.
Chelsea had no time to mount a response, and Villa held firm to secure a crucial victory. Asensio’s brace not only sealed the comeback but also underlined his growing influence in Unai Emery’s attacking setup.