Late great Disasi denied as Poch settles for point
CONOR GALLAGHER capped a superb display with an exquisite equaliser to deny Villa clear water between themselves and Tottenham in the battle for a Champions League spot.
But the visitors so very nearly nicked it at the death as defender Axel Disasi climbed off the bench to head home before seeing his effort ruled out by VAR.
Chelsea had dragged themselves level when Gallagher curled in a magnificent goal to make it 2-2 eight minutes from time.
Unai Emery’s men were far from their best but a third successive Premier League victory would have given them a huge nine-point gap between themselves and Spurs.
Their rivals do have three games in hand but the last time Spurs won three on the bounce was back in December.
As it is, that gap is only seven points thanks to Gallagher’s deserved leveller.
An early own goal by
Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella, who deflected in a John Mcginn shot, had appeared to send Villa on their way.
Morgan Rogers struck a cool finish to make it 2-0 before the break but Mauricio Pochettino’s men had the resolve missing of late and were much improved on their 5-0 drubbing in midweek at Arsenal.
Nicolas Jackson also had a goal chalked off by VAR and struck a post before the break.
Chelsea dominated after the break and Noni Madueke pounced on an error to make it 2-1 and set up a rousing finish.
Villa opened proceedings just four minutes in as Lucas Digne was worked in behind Chelsea’s defence and his low cross was swept towards goal by Mcginn, before deflecting off Cucurella for the opener.
Chelsea showed patience in possession, though, and thought they had levelled when they sprang Jackson beyond the Villa defence and the striker held off a defender to lob the ball home.
Jackson’s joy was shortlived, however, as a VAR check showed his foot was just ahead of the line.
Chelsea like a slow tempo, not the rapid thrusts Villa employ.
The Blues defence was too static as Matty Cash found Rogers and the former Middlesbrough youngster easily wrong-footed Trevoh Chalobah – uncomfortable at right-back all night – to fire in a low shot from the edge of the box.
Trailing 2-0 at the break, Chelsea needed to summon something to spark them.
That was when Gallagher forced Douglas Luiz into an error and Madueke made amends for an earlier miss by striking low and true past Robin Olsen, to make it 2-1.
Gallagher kept Chelsea pushing and earned his reward when he clipped a glorious shot past Olsen from 20 yards.
And the Blues thought they’d won it until Disasi’s strike was chalked off by VAR for a push. ASTON VILLA: Martinez 6 (Olsen 46, 6); Cash 7, Konsa 7, Torres 6, Digne 7; Luiz 6 (Iroegbunam 75), Tielemans 5 (Diaby 27, 6, Duran 83); Bailey 7 (Carlos 75), Rogers 7, Mcginn 7; Watkins 6.
CHELSEA: Petrovic 6; Chalobah 4, Silva 6 (Disasi 90), Badiashile 6, Cucurella 5; Caicedo 5, Gallagher 8; Palmer 5, Madueke 6, Mudryk 5 (Casadei 90); Jackson 6.
MAN OF THE MATCH: CONOR GALLAGHER – Chelsea’s beating heart before a blood-pumping finish.
REF: C Pawson ATT: 42,354