EPL: Asensio's Brace Leads Aston Villa to Thrilling 2-1 Win Over Chelsea

Aston Villa came from behind to beat Chelsea 2-1 at Villa Park, thanks to a double from Marco Asensio, securing their first Premier League win in six matches.

Aston Villa staged a thrilling late comeback to stun Chelsea 2-1 at Villa Park, thanks in large part to Marco Asensio's double strike. The victory marked Villa's first Premier League win in six matches, and it propelled them up the table, narrowing the gap to the European places.

Chelsea began the match with confidence, undaunted by Villa's impressive home record, where they had lost just once in the Premier League this season. The visitors took the initiative from the outset and were rewarded with an early goal. Pedro Neto made a dynamic run down the right flank and delivered a precise cross from the byline, which evaded Emiliano Martínez's grasp and found an unmarked Enzo Fernández, who tapped in from close range to give Chelsea a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute.

The energetic atmosphere at Villa Park was palpable as the home fans urged their team on, and Aston Villa responded with a spirited attempt to level the score. Ollie Watkins unleashed a shot, but Chelsea's defense was up to the task, with Filip Jörgensen making a crucial block to deny Watkins. As the match ebbed and flowed, Enzo Fernández attempted to double his tally with a curled effort that sailed narrowly over the bar, while Watkins was again thwarted by Jörgensen after a pinpoint cross from Youri Tielemans.

Chelsea nearly extended their lead through a stroke of luck when Cole Palmer's shot took a wicked deflection, only to be denied by the post. Christopher Nkunku then tested Emiliano Martínez with a bending effort, but the Villa goalkeeper was equal to the task. Despite trailing, there were encouraging signs for Aston Villa as the first half drew to a close. The introduction of Marcus Rashford off the bench in the second half proved to be a game-changer, as he combined with fellow January signing Marco Asensio to grab the equalizer. A well-weighted diagonal ball from Matty Cash released Rashford behind the Chelsea defense, and he expertly prodded the ball across the face of goal for Asensio to tap into the empty net.

It's late joy for @AVFCOfficial after Marco Asensio's brace completes the comeback win 🤙#AVLCHE pic.twitter.com/4PBRkYiXNM

— Premier League (@premierleague) February 22, 2025

As Aston Villa committed more players forward in search of a winner, they were nearly caught on the counter-attack. Moisés Caicedo's sliding tackle on Cole Palmer sent the Chelsea player through on goal, but his attempt was thwarted by the retreating Ezri Konsa. Villa continued to push for a late winner, with Donyell Malen being denied one-on-one by Jörgensen. However, the hosts' persistence paid off in the 89th minute when Rashford and Asensio combined again to seal the victory. Rashford played a clever one-two with Tielemans from a corner before delivering a pinpoint pass to Asensio, who took the ball first time and squeezed it underneath Jörgensen to send the Villa Park faithful into raptures.

Emiliano Martinez was on the floor but Cole Palmer's shot ended up being blocked 😅#AVLCHE pic.twitter.com/2j1NrtqziA

— Premier League (@premierleague) February 22, 2025

Aston Villa's comeback victory defied the trend of matchday 26, which had seen six away wins and a draw prior to their match. By securing a home win, Villa became the first team to do so on matchday 26, adding a twist to the Premier League's unpredictable narrative.

The win also brought an end to Villa's five-match winless streak, revitalizing their momentum. As a result, Villa now sit just one point behind Chelsea in the standings. Chelsea, meanwhile, remain in sixth place, having failed to win any of their last six league matches on the road, a streak that will concern manager Enzo Maresca.