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The TimesDecember 27, 2007
Gareth Barry keeps his nerve as nine-man Chelsea lose their heads in thrillerChelsea 4 Aston Villa 4Alyson Rudd
And to think that managers grumble about the festive fixture list. When supporters of these clubs reminisce about the Christmas of 2007, they will remember most clearly the eight goals, three red cards, exquisite skill and late drama yesterday. In stoppage time, Ashley Cole was sent off for handling on the line and Gareth Barry stepped up to equalise for the visiting team against nine men.
It was breathtaking from the start and the result was never certain. Would Chelsea surrender their long unbeaten run at home in the league or extend it to 72 matches? Would Aston Villa be involved in a match even more incredible than their 4-4 draw away to Tottenham Hotspur on October 1? That the match ended in a draw had to be the fair result. Villa deserve plaudits for their attack-minded approach at the fortress that is Stamford Bridge, while Chelsea should be praised for their flair and resilience.
Neither manager will be happy with the red cards, but this was not an overly physical contest. Only Ricardo Carvalho’s tackle on Gabriel Agbonlahor was nasty and the Chelsea defender was sent off for it.
From Chelsea’s perspective, the preservation of that phenomenal home record was something that Avram Grant, the first-team coach, ought to feel proud about. Once Carvalho had been sent off in the 80th minute, it meant that they were without the Portuguese defender, without Frank Lampard, without Didier Drogba, without John Terry and with Petr Cech the most vulnerable he has looked in goal. This was a weakened Chelsea spine and then some. It was a wonder that did not collapse.
Drogba and Terry were out through injury, of course, but Lampard limped off in the first half. In fact, Lampard limped off and limped back on again; took off his captain’s armband then put it back on again. Grant has shown that he does not like players to decide for themselves when they should come off. But, finally, Lampard was replaced by Michael Ballack, a thigh strain depriving the England midfield player of the opportunity to score his 100th Chelsea goal in front of a Boxing Day crowd in West London. This landmark was probably the only missing piece of glitter on a sparkling afternoon.
Villa were bullish from the start, no doubt buoyed by the fact that they had inflicted a 2-0 defeat on Chelsea, then under José Mourinho’s control, in September. They took the lead in the fourteenth minute — it was early enough for Villa fans still to be grumbling that Shaun Maloney had started instead of Stiliyan Petrov, whom they had hoped would be fit enough to feature. But it was Maloney who scored, latching on to John Carew’s header from Agbonlahor’s cross.
It was a deserved lead, but there was more than an element of good fortune to Villa’s second. Maloney, a minute before half-time, shot straight at Cech. It was neither a powerful nor a well-placed attempt and Cech certainly managed to place both hands behind the shot, but he failed to hold on to it and the ball trickled over the line as Cech stared in disbelief. Grant had been relieved that the bruising Cech sustained during Chelsea’s victory away to Blackburn Rovers on Sunday had not been serious, but he must have wondered if he made the correct decision to declare his first-choice goalkeeper fit to play.
The home side were 2-0 down, but it was Villa who began to look jittery. Zat Knight made a clumsy challenge on Ballack and the shove cost him any further involvement. Knight was sent off for being the last defender rather than for any violence and the challenge did more bodily damage to the Villa defender than the German. Martin O’Neill, the Villa manager, said that he would consider an appeal as he believed that Ballack had fallen despite minimal contact.
Phil Dowd, the referee, had to wait for Knight to get to his feet before showing the red card and at that moment it seemed that Villa, despite their lead, had lost any realistic chance to cause an upset. Andriy Shevchenko converted the penalty, firing the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of Scott Carson’s net.
Villa had possessed the more spirited attitude for much of the first half, but Chelsea certainly made up for their sluggish start by attacking at the start of the second period with palpable urgency. From 25 yards, Shevchenko proved the adage about class being permanent. The ball whistled beyond the reach of Carson for Chelsea’s equaliser.
This was Shevchenko’s day and the home fans knew it. Rarely have they been as sorry to see him substituted as they were when Grant decided to haul him off before he could complete his hat-trick. The Ukrainian exhibited some beautiful skill as he held off the attentions of Barry with a pirouette and then fed the perfect through-ball to Alex, who scored to put Chelsea in the lead in the 66th minute.
But still Villa were sprightly. As Ashley Young swung in a free kick, Martin Laursen might have thought about a header but opted for a volley to make it 3-3.
Then came the moment when O’Neill thought Villa might yet win. Carvalho responded to a rampaging run by Agbonlahor with a two-footed, studs-up tackle that resulted in the second red card of the afternoon. However, Ballack’s low, unstoppable free kick in the 88th minute gave Chelsea the lead once more.
Then came the finale. Ashley Cole appeared to use his hand to stop Agbonlahor’s header crossing the line and Dowd flourished another red card. The players crowded round the referee, both sets of supporters bayed and Barry calmly walked forward to take the penalty in stoppage time to make it 4-4. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Telegraph:
Aston Villa revival makes O'Neill look specialBy Henry Winter at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea (1) 4 Aston Villa (2) 4
This was the match that had everything except a winner. It had early baths, late goals, accusations of diving, coaching assistants inviting each other down the tunnel, and another entry into the two-footed tackle hall of shame. It had a howler from one of the world's leading goalkeepers, Petr Cech. And it even had a double from Andrei Shevchenko.
Compelling entertainment from first whistle to last, this Premier League epic reminded everyone of how Martin O'Neill has galvanised Aston Villa and why Avram Grant lacks the charisma to inspire Chelsea to great heights in the post-Jose Mourinho era. "We've got the Special One," chanted Villa fans.
Grant rued the dropped points, although he continues to believe Chelsea can catch Arsenal and Manchester United in the race for the title. "As long as we have a chance, we will not give up," Grant said. "It's a big challenge, but it was from day one."
That sounded like a dig at Mourinho, insinuating that Chelsea were always going to struggle following the indifferent start to the season that helped contribute to the Portuguese's downfall. Chelsea's ambitions could be tempered further by an already packed treatment room now squeezing in Frank Lampard, who damaged his thigh, and a Heathrow departure lounge full of players heading to the African Cup of Nations in Ghana.
And suspensions. Ricardo Carvalho's reckless lunge at Gabriel Agbonlahor means the centre-half will be absent against Newcastle United, Fulham and QPR. If Didier Drogba's muscular presence is missed in attack, John Terry's steadying influence in defence and gutsy leadership is similarly pined for by Chelsea fans.
How Grant could have done with a central-defensive giant in the class of Villa's Martin Laursen, comfortably the man of the match, with respectful nods to his colleagues Gareth Barry and Ashley Young and the hosts' Shevchenko and Michael Essien.
Chelsea's defence was too generous, too hesitant. Shaun Maloney exploited a lack of organisation in the blue ranks to record his first-half double, starting in the 13th minute. When Agbonlahor clipped in a cross from the right, John Carew nodded down and little Maloney beat Cech from close range: 0-1.
Chelsea sought to raise their game, but ran into the outstanding Laursen, the defender blocking and tackling, intercepting crosses in the air and on the ground. Chelsea's mood darkened further when Lampard limped off. Michael Ballack appeared and was immediately sent into orbit by Nigel Reo-Coker.
As Grant, Henk Ten Cate and Steve Clarke leapt from the bench to remonstrate with the referee, Phil Dowd screamed "go away" at them and contended himself with a gentle admonishment of Reo-Coker. Ten Cate was in particularly volcanic mood, keeping a very loud running total of perceived Villa transgressions, which he transmitted to the visitors' bench. John Robertson and company merely laughed.
Villa's good spirits rose higher two minutes from the break. When Claudio Pizarro faltered in possession, Laursen fed the ball to Maloney, who scampered towards goal like a schoolboy chasing the morning bus. Alex, a bundle of first-half uncertainties, stood off and Maloney let fly, the ball heading for the seeming safe haven of Cech's grasp. Yet Chelsea's goalkeeper misjudged the speed and the ball bounced off him and span back into the net: 0-2.
The drama intensified moments later. Ballack, through on goal, appeared to be pushed by Zat Knight and the German collapsed like a house of cards in a hurricane. "Off, off, off" chorused the Shed at Knight, once of neighbours Fulham. Dowd needed little encouraging, pointing Knight towards the tunnel.
O'Neill was livid with Ballack. "It's 'chup'," said the Villa manager cryptically, although there was no mistaking his meaning as he signalled a gentle swallow dive with his hands. "He has gone over. There's no contact. I'm only three and a half per cent biased but it's not a penalty. I might appeal [Knight's red card]. It was very harsh."
However much Ballack milked the contact, Dowd was right. It looked a penalty. As Knight trudged away, Shevchenko neatly put the penalty away: 1-2. The initiative swung Chelsea's away. Poor Maloney. The Scot was removed as Villa went with two banks of deep-lying fours with the hard-working Carew a distant outlet.
Such was the crowded nature of Villa's dug-out that Maloney had to sit among the Chelsea supporters. At least, it saved him getting caught in the inter-bench crossfire.
The force was with Chelsea. Shevchenko was suddenly rolling back the years, and rolling his markers, equalising with the type of magnificent 25-yarder that spiced his prolific time at AC Milan and Dynamo Kiev: 2-2. Shevchenko then sent through Alex, who planted his shot firmly past Scott Carson: 3-2.
It was an astonishing turnaround, and showed the enduring class that Grant can call upon. Ballack certainly looked hungry for the fray, Essien delivered his usual 90 minutes of creating and destroying while Shevchenko appeared reborn. Yet O'Neill has sent real defiance flowing through claret-and-blue veins. When Young whipped over a free-kick, Laursen stretched out a leg and turned the ball past Cech: 3-3.
Parity of personnel also arrived, Carvalho departing for that filthy challenge. "Carvalho had no intention to hurt the player," Grant stressed. O'Neill disagreed. "It's a two-footed challenge," remarked the Villa manager. "It's a sending-off offence."
Incidents continued to abound. With three breathless minutes left, Dowd wrongly awarded Chelsea a free-kick 20 yards out after Laursen and Joe Cole had simply collided. Ballack added insult to iniquity with a low free-kick that swerved past the wall and in: 4-3.
The temperature rose with the goal count. Ten Cate inquired of O'Neill's bench whether they wanted to discuss the game's finer points in a more private setting. Again, Villa rallied and when Agbonlahor headed goalwards, Ashley Cole thrust out his chest. "Penalty," shouted Villa. "Never," yelled Chelsea, insisting the ball never touched Cole's arm. All eyes turned to Dowd, who showed Cole the direction to the dressing-rooms, and Barry the way to the spot. Villa's captain stroked in the penalty: 4-4.
As Grant was busy launching an ambitious appeal over Cole's dismissal, O'Neill was concluding: "We've been back from the dead twice." Vitality ruled at the Bridge yesterday.
Man of the match Andriy Shevchenko 9 • Scored two goals • Had three other shots• Set up Alex for Chelsea's third---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Indy:
Chelsea 4 Aston Villa 4: Barry cuts Chelsea adrift in race for the title By Sam Wallace
Like an old regimental flag shot to bits and tattered round the edges, Chelsea carried their unbeaten home League run to 72 games yesterday, but the question they ask themselves today is how much longer? How much longer can they compete in a Premier League title race with almost half their team injured, suspended or running on empty?
After an afternoon of pure drama at Stamford Bridge there are those who might just wish to savour the moment. While Avram Grant's mission may have been to stamp out every last vestige of controversy and excitement from a club who, at times, have sleepwalked to victory, yesterday was different in every respect. A pulse-quickening, full-blooded encounter in which every new plot line seemed more incredible than the last.
But what is left for Chelsea when the dust settles? Ashley Cole and Ricardo Carvalho both suspended for three games while John Terry, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda are all injured. Away at Newcastle on 29 December, Grant faces the prospect of pairing Alex da Costa with Tal Ben Haim in the centre of his defence – a duo who have, at times this season, displayed all the reliability under pressure of the Chuckle Brothers.
Lampard's thigh injury is not thought to be as bad as first thought but with Manchester United now seven points clear of Chelsea, the title race is slipping away from Stamford Bridge. "These are not easy times but from the first time I came here it was not easy," Grant said. "We had a lot of injured players then but now it is even worse. But we got through before and we will try to do our best."
It was an absorbing game yesterday, one in which Aston Villa demonstrated a steel worthy of their manager, Martin O'Neill, despite having one fewer player for 34 minutes of the second half. "We were terrific," said O'Neill, whose side are eighth in the Premier League. "When we were back to 10 men each [and the score at 3-3], I thought we could win the game." At times, it seemed that anything was possible.
Take a deep breath and try to follow a tale with more twists than your average piece of Christmas tinsel. In the first half were two goals for Villa from Shaun Maloney, the second gifted to him by a rare howler from Petr Cech. One minute from the interval, Andrei Shevchenko scored from the penalty spot and added a second screamer five minutes after the break. Alex put Chelsea 3-2 ahead, Martin Laursen pulled one back and Ballack's free-kick seemed to have won the game at 4-3 two minutes from time. It was Barry's equalising penalty that was the final act in a remarkable game.
Yet that only told half a tale in which two of three red cards will be appealed. Not only did O'Neill query Chelsea's penalty for their first goal – and Zat Knight's red card – he also said that the free-kick Ballack scored from should not have been given. Chelsea will dispute that Ashley Cole's clearance off the line from Gabriel Agbonlahor's header at the end of the game was not handball – and certainly not deliberate. Precedent suggests both appeals will be rejected.
At the centre of it all was Mr Philip Dowd of Staffordshire, the referee famously described by Paul Jewell once as "Dowd by name, dour by nature". That was the one accusation you could not level against Dowd yesterday – there was absolutely nothing dour about this game. Just Shevchenko's luck: he scores two goals and his name does not even make the headlines.
Villa's first was a smartly worked move that started with Agbonlahor. He picked out John Carew at the back post, and his header down to Maloney's feet was easily tucked past Cech. The second was a real collector's piece from Cech whose feeble attempt to stop a tame shot from Maloney was reminiscent of the aberration by Scott Carson – watching from the other end – for England against Croatia.
Within a minute Michael Essien's scuffed shot had inadvertently put in Ballack, whose tangle with Knight precipitated a theatrical fall from the German. Off went Knight and Shevchenko buried the penalty. The confidence was back: the Ukrainian hit his second five minutes after half-time, a beauty from 25 yards, that flew past Carson.
Then Shevchenko played in Alex for Chelsea's third on 66 minutes, the Brazilian looking a lot more accomplished as a striker than he often does as a defender. In fact, Alex was absent six minutes later when Ashley Young's free-kick from the right was toed past Cech by Martin Laursen, who was left completely unmarked.
Still more to come. Carvalho's lunge at Agbonlahor was a red card and it was 10 men each. No matter. Two minutes from time and Ballack curved a low free-kick into Carson's goal. On the touchline O'Neill was ranting about the debatable decision to give the free-kick for a tackle by Laursen on Joe Cole on the edge of Villa's area.
The final twist came two minutes into extra-time. Another unseemly scramble in the Chelsea area and Agbonlahor's header was cleared off the line by Ashley Cole. Dowd app-eared to take advice from his linesmen and Cole was off for handball. Penalty – and the last word went to Gareth Barry.
Goals: Maloney (13) 0-1; Maloney (44) 0-2; Shevchenko (pen, 45) 1-2; Shevchenko (50) 2-2; Alex (66) 3-2; Laursen (72) 3-3; Ballack (88) 4-3; Barry (pen, 90) 4-4.
Chelsea (4-4-2): Cech; Ferreira, Alex, Carvalho, A Cole; J Cole, Essien, Lampard (Ballack, 26), Kalou; Pizarro (Mikel, 85), Shevchenko (Wright-Phillips, 82). Substitutes not used: Hilario (gk), Mikel, Ben Haim.
Aston Villa (4-4-2): Carson; Mellberg, Knight, Laursen, Bouma (Harewood, 89); Agbonlahor, Reo-Coker, Barry, Young; Carew (Moore, 78), Maloney (Davies, h-t). Substitutes not used: Taylor (gk), Gardner.
Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).
Booked: Chelsea Essien, Ballack; Aston Villa Reo-Coker.
Sent off: Chelsea Carvalho, A Cole; Aston Villa Knight.
Man of the match: Shevchenko.
Attendance: 41,686.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chelsea have little defence after two red cards in a roller-coaster
Kevin McCarra at Stamford BridgeThursday December 27, 2007The Guardian
The score, with a penalty for the visitors in the last minute, may have been tied up but this was a match in which logic unravelled to joyous effect. Only those with a vested interest can be immune to the delight of such a game. As the sides demolished one another's defences there was debris everywhere and reconstruction work lies ahead for each manager now that two of Chelsea's players and one of Aston Villa's will be suspended after each being sent off with a straight red card.
The visitors will miss Zat Knight, dismissed after conceding the penalty from which Andriy Shevchenko trimmed Chelsea's deficit to 2-1, unless a rare success is achieved with the appeal that the manager, Martin O'Neill, is inclined to lodge. Chelsea said last night that they would appeal against Ashley Cole's red card. The coach, Avram Grant, said: "I saw it again on the television and it was not a penalty but I cannot change it."Grant will be aghast by proceedings featuring the dismissal of Cole and Ricardo Carvalho, although Chelsea were not such a victim of the referee Phil Dowd's faltering judgment as Villa. John Terry is already out for several weeks through injury and his fellow centre-half Carvalho now faces a three-game ban for leaping at Gabriel Agbonlahor with both feet in the 80th minute. He is ruled out of Premier League matches at home to Newcastle United and away to Fulham before an FA Cup tie with Queen's Park Rangers.
"I didn't see there was any intention to hurt the player," said Grant, striving to set new standards of partisanship. In a subsequent statement Carvalho explained that he had not seen Agbonlahor after the match to apologise but had asked for a message to be passed on to him.
The Portuguese, denying any intent to hurt an opponent, may have recognised the wildness of his challenge. Grant did not go even that far but it is natural for him to have a beleaguered air. Frank Lampard, for instance, went off here with a thigh strain and Didier Drogba, currently hurt, will be bound for the African Cup of Nations next month. Grant said: "I am waiting for the day I will have all my players."
Chelsea could hardly afford to be further depleted in defence - it was four years to the day since they last conceded four, against Charlton on Boxing Day 2003 - yet Ashley Cole will endure an instant one-game ban. He was sent packing for conceding the penalty from which Villa levelled the match at 4-4. It had looked as if the Chelsea left-back had initially blocked Agbonlahor's effort with head and shoulder, but the assistant referee immediately signalled for the offence.
O'Neill, given time, might come to the view that his dissatisfaction with a draw at Stamford Bridge is evidence that Villa are evolving. Villa possessed much more zest than Chelsea in the game's initial phase and, with Agbonlahor and Ashley Young, now have attacking panache. In the short term, though, O'Neill will brood.
His side either took full advantage of the torpor in the Chelsea ranks at the outset or, perhaps, just made Grant's line-up appear sluggish. John Carew ought to have put his header into the net in the ninth minute. Five minutes later he met an Agbonlahor delivery and set up Shaun Maloney to take the first of his goals with ease. The Scot next struck in the 44th minute, hitting a moderate drive that bounced off the arm of the goalkeeper, Petr Cech, to reach the net. It was the Czech's second blunder in rapid succession following the William Gallas winner for Arsenal 10 days previously. "It happens to even the best goalkeeper in the world," said Grant.
Chelsea looked weak and directionless, but a penalty got them back on track. O'Neill, with onomatopoeic virtuosity, made a noise that was comprehensible to all as the audible equivalent of a dive when arguing that Knight had made no contact on the substitute Michael Ballack in the third minute of first-half stoppage time. Shevchenko drilled home the penalty.
Despite the blizzard of incident here, the excellence of Shevchenko ought to be kept in view. He squared the match from 20 yards with a drive into the top corner after 50 minutes. In the 66th minute the Ukrainian converted himself into a playmaker, collecting a pass from the surging Alex before stroking the return ball from which the Brazilian defender finished.
A Villa leveller defied the seeming logic of the fixture but Martin Laursen volleyed in a Young free-kick crisply. Ballack, in his first Premier League outing of the season, was even more expert from a set-piece when piloting a shot past the left hand of Scott Carson in the 88th minute. "There's no contact," O'Neill lamented of the incident involving Laursen and Joe Cole for which Dowd awarded the free-kick.
Villa's manager remained bold, though. In a final throw he put on Marlon Harewood for the left-back, Wilfred Bouma. Whether or not the penalty at the end was warranted, the outcome certainly was.
Man of the match Andriy Shevchenko (Chelsea)
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Last-gasp Barry on spot for Villa after Cole, Knight and Carvalho see redChelsea 4 Aston Villa 4
Eight goals, three red cards, two comebacks and one apology for another two-footed, reckless tackle. Who needs Jose Mourinho to liven up Stamford Bridge?
Even Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack were among the goals on a day of high drama. Let's deal with the crimesheet first.
Ricardo Carvalho deserved to be sent off for a terrible two-footed tackle on Gabriel Agbonlahor in the 80th minute. Villa manager Martin O'Neill said it was 'reckless' and Carvalho later said sorry, adding: 'It was never my intention to hurt Agbonlahor with the tackle. I was going for the ball and I don't want people to think that I tried to hurt another player.'
Ashley Cole's hand-ball on the line in added time was a clear red, despite his tiresomely predictable protests. It presented Villa with a deserved chance to level. Now Chelsea must cope without the banned Cole and Carvalho as well as the injured John Terry. Zat Knight was the first to go for a professional foul and, although Villa will consider an appeal, they can have little argument with referee Phil Dowd.
It all added up to a breathless game packed with goals and excitement. Villa raced into a 2-0 lead, then Chelsea nosed in front 3-2 and 4-3 before Gareth Barry scored in the 90th minute. Anyone get a pacemaker for Christmas?
Villa will feel they might have ended Chelsea's 72-game unbeaten run on their home patch yesterday, for they came to London with the ambition for an upset.
'I thought we were terrific in the first half,' said O'Neill.
They were leading 2-0 before Knight was sent off for a trip on Chelsea sub Ballack. Shevchenko scored the penalty.
O'Neill said: 'I've seen the incident a couple of times and I thought it was very harsh. There was no contact. But we played most of the second half a man down, came back from the dead twice and scored four goals at Stamford Bridge. I'm glad we got something out of the game — if we hadn't I'd have committed suicide.'
The opening exchanges suggested Villa were in the mood, with both Agbonlahor and John Carew going close before they took the lead with a piercing move.
Carew headed Agbonlahor's cross into the path of Shaun Maloney and the Scot slid the ball beyond Petr Cech.
Two minutes before half-time the lead was doubled. Maloney — not always a fixture in the Villa side, but a sign of their attacking intentions — struck again as Cech fumbled a low shot.
With Scott Carson watching from the other end, he would have noticed that even the best in the world can drop a clanger.
Earlier in the proceedings, Chelsea had lost Frank Lampard to injury, having taken a heavy knock on his right thigh. With Newcastle visiting on Saturday, Stamford Bridge boss Avram Grant will await the results of scans today with growing concern. It is only days until Roman Abramovich's chequebook will surely be waved around once again during the January transfer window.
Knight's clumsy challenge and subsequent marching orders presented the home team with a rescue route.
In Lampard's absence, Shevchenko took responsibility and sent Carson the wrong way.
The Ukrainian levelled the scores against Villa's 10 men with a fierce, dipping shot from 20 yards, then set up Chelsea's third in an exchange of passes with Alex which ended with the Brazilian firing home a low shot.
With Knight taken out of the equation, O'Neill had to reshuffle at half-time — withdrawing two-goal Maloney and filling the gap in his defence with Curtis Davies.
That, however, left Carew in a lone striker's role and offered them limited attacking options. Yet they managed to bring the scores level again as Martin Laursen stole in behind the home defence to steer home Ashley Young's free-kick. Then Carvalho was dismissed — but there was even more drama to come.
O'Neill and the Villa players were equally adamant that Dowd made another mistake when Laursen was judged to have fouled Joe Cole 20 yards out from the middle of the goal in the 87th minute, setting up sub Ballack to score from the freekick.
But the visitors did not dwell on their disappointment and pushed forward to provide the game's exciting finish.
With Cech out of position, Agbonlahor appeared to have headed an equaliser until the ball was blocked on the line by a combination of Cole's head and left arm. At first, referee Dowd ignored Villa's frantic appeals for a penalty.
But after consulting with his assistant, he pointed to the spot, produced a red card for Cole and Gareth Barry calmly supplied the equaliser which his side thoroughly deserved.
The loss of two points could prove crucial to Chelsea's title ambitions, but Grant refused to accept it was a lethal blow, saying: 'As long as we have a chance, we will do everything to challenge for the Premier League title.'
Chelsea: Cech, Ferreira, Alex, Carvalho, Ashley Cole, Kalou, Essien, Lampard, Joe Cole, Pizarro, Shevchenko. Subs: Hilario, Obi, Ballack, Ben-Haim, Wright-Phillips.
Aston Villa: Carson, Mellberg, Laursen, Knight, Bouma, Maloney, Reo-Coker, Barry, Young, Carew, Agbonlahor. Subs: Taylor, Moore, Harewood, Davies, Gardner.
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------