Chelsea Thrash Villa To Move Joint Second

Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, and captain Enzo Fernandez, all on the scoresheet, helped Chelsea defeat Aston Villa 3-0 at home on Sunday, moving them up to share second place in the Premier League standings.

Senegal striker Jackson neatly side-footed a Marc Cucurella cross from the left, knocking it in off the post in the seventh minute.

Chelsea took advantage of questionable defending in the 36th minute when Fernandez was fed by Palmer before steadying himself and firing home between Matty Cash and Ezri Konsa.

Palmer outdid both his teammates, however, lofting an exquisite left-foot shot into the top corner of substitute goalkeeper Robin Olsen’s net in the 83rd minute.

Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea moved joint second, level on points and goal difference with Arsenal, before the late kick-off between table-toppers Liverpool and fifth-placed Manchester City. Villa dropped to 11th.