HALF-TIMEpublished at 14:18 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2024
Man Utd 2-0 Everton
Ruben Amorim's Manchester United lead at the break.
First-half goals from Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee have the Red Devils in control.
Cole Palmer shone in a comfortable Chelsea win over an Aston Villa side whose worrying winless run extended to eight matches.
Nicolas Jackson gave Chelsea a seventh-minute lead, squeezing a first-time finish past Emi Martinez after Marc Cucurella forced Jadon Philogene into a mistake on the edge of his own box before crossing.
Enzo Fernandez then volleyed in the second in the 36th minute.
The Argentina midfielder finished with his right foot after an excellent touch with his left, following a good ball from Palmer, with Moises Caicedo having won the ball in midfield.
Palmer then curled in a sensational left-foot finish from the edge of the box in the 83rd minute to seal victory.
The England international, like Jackson, now has eight Chelsea goals for the season.
Chelsea were dominant, registering more than 64% possession, could have scored more - Jadon Sancho threatened, while Palmer squandered a chance from eight yards out following an indirect free-kick after a mistake by Villa pair Martinez and Pau Torres.
For Villa, Ollie Watkins had a frustrating day, missing a good chance in the 15th minute and one just before half-time after a mistake from Fernandez.
It was a day to forget all round for the visitors, with Villa goalkeeper Martinez forced off at half-time with an injury.
In a second half where Chelsea continued to dominate, their only setback was an injury to Wesley Fofana. John McGinn and substitute Ross Barkley had half-chances, but the visitors could not find a way back.
Chelsea have risen up to joint-second in the Premier League table on 25 points while Villa drop to 12th on 19 points.
Unai Emery is currently enduring the longest winless run of his tenure at Villa, having not won in eight matches, since the 2-0 Champions League win over Bologna in October.
Chelsea frequently faced accusations of over-reliance on Palmer last season - so much so that then-manager Mauricio Pochettino challenged his players in April to show they were not the "Cole Palmer team".
That team finished last season with six consecutive wins before Pochettino's exit - and this term, under Enzo Maresca's leadership, they are emerging as a side with multiple threats.
Jackson has 18 goal involvements in his past 21 games - scoring 13 times and adding five assists - an average of almost one a game.
Fernandez is also proving his attacking worth, scoring in his past two Premier League matches and providing an assist against Arsenal in the game before that.
Maresca's selection demonstrated Chelsea's great attacking depth, with Noni Madueke and Joao Felix dropped to the bench as Pedro Neto and Sancho came in to play on the wings.
And that's not to mention Christopher Nkunku and Mykhailo Mudryk. Nkunku is Chelsea's top scorer this season with 11 goals, albeit mostly coming in Europe's third-tier competition, the Conference League. Mudryk, the £88m winger, is also delivering in Europe.
Maresca's only difficulty is ensuring his players get the minutes on the pitch. Jackson looked disappointed to be coming off in the 70th minute, and there are reports Nkunku is frustrated with his role deputising for him.
Chelsea are more than just Palmer but, as he showed in the 83rd minute, they still have his quality to fall back on.
Villa are already contending with a run of poor form as they face the challenge of combining Champions League demands with their domestic programme.
Their first campaign in Europe's top club competition since 1983 has been a success so far, but it is understandable that, at this stage of the season, they are struggling to balance that with the rigours of the most competitive domestic league in football.
Argentina goalkeeper Martinez had a rare bad day, losing the ball in his own area, and giving away a indirect free-kick eight yards out after a mix-up with defender Torres.
The World Cup-winner then injured his hand when dealing with a mistake in a challenge with Jackson.
That only adds to Emery's woes as he looks to turn around the club's fortunes.
Robin Olsen, who came on for Martinez, could now get a run in the team - and has big shoes to fill if the two-time world goalkeeper of the year is out for any length of time.
After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.
Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 13 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 26 | 8 | 18 | 34 |
| |
2 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 26 | 14 | 12 | 25 |
| |
3 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 26 | 14 | 12 | 25 |
| |
4 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 22 | 17 | 5 | 23 |
| |
5 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 22 | 19 | 3 | 23 |
| |
6 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 16 | 13 | 3 | 22 |
| |
7 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 28 | 14 | 14 | 20 |
| |
8 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 26 | 23 | 3 | 20 |
| |
9 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 19 |
| |
10 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 18 | 18 | 0 | 19 |
| |
11 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 19 |
| |
12 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 19 | 22 | -3 | 19 |
| |
13 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 20 | 19 | 1 | 18 |
| |
14 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 17 | 24 | -7 | 15 |
| |
15 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 21 | -11 | 11 |
| |
16 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 16 | 27 | -11 | 10 |
| |
17 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 18 | -7 | 9 |
| |
18 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 22 | 32 | -10 | 9 |
| |
19 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 13 | 24 | -11 | 9 |
| |
20 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 25 | -15 | 5 |
|
Manager: Enzo Maresca
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Unai Emery
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Enzo Maresca
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Unai Emery
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Premier League
All competitions
All competitions
All competitions
Chelsea are winless in their last three Premier League meetings with Aston Villa (D1 L2), last having a longer such run against them between February 2006 and December 2007 (5).
Aston Villa have won their last two Premier League away games against Chelsea, as many as in their previous 21 visits to Stamford Bridge (D4 L15). They last won three consecutive away league games against the Blues between 1930 and 1933.
Just 41% of Chelsea’s Premier League points this season have come in home games (9/22), the lowest ratio of any side so far this term.
Aston Villa are winless in their last four Premier League games (D2 L2). They last went five without a win between May and August 2022, while they last did so in the same season in March/April 2022 (both runs under Steven Gerrard).
Aston Villa have scored both a league high total (6) and share (32%) of their Premier League goals via headers this season. As it stands, it’s their highest share of headed goals in a single top-flight campaign since 2001-02 (33% - 15/46).
Chelsea have conceded at least once in all six of their Premier League home games this season – they last had a longer wait for a home clean sheet from the start of a league campaign in 1978-79 (9 games).
Just 31% of Aston Villa’s shots in the Premier League this season have been on target (48/153), with only Everton having a lower percentage so far (30%). However, Aston Villa have found the net with 40% of these attempts on target, the highest ratio in the division so far this term.
Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins has scored in his last two Premier League away games against Chelsea, with both ending up being the winning goal in the match. No visiting player has ever scored three match-winning goals at Stamford Bridge in the competition.
Five of Nicolas Jackson’s seven Premier League goals this season have put Chelsea 1-0 ahead in the match – coming into this weekend’s games, only Chris Wood (6) has scored the opening goal in more different games this term.
No player has created more chances from open play in the Premier League this season than Chelsea’s Cole Palmer (28). Aston Villa are one of just three sides he’s failed to score or assist against in the league since joining the Blues (2 appearances), along with Liverpool (2 apps) and Leicester (1).