Dean Smith is out on the touchline again and can afford a smile.

His side have played well but were lacking in that final third.

More clinical finishing and it would have been a very different scoreline.

Villa have not given up though.

Edouard Mendy has to stretch for a corner allowing Ollie Watkins a header at goal, but it is cleared off the line.

Scot John McGinn, who can hit them from range, has his radar off as he strikes a wayward shot wide.

A so-so performance from Callum Hudson-Odoi, nothing to write home about.

He is replaced by Timo Werner.

Decent sub to bring on.

Image source, Getty Images

Hakim Ziyech has his head in his hands, and so he should, deciding to go it alone and dragging a shot wide.

He had two team-mates in support.

Nope, they're not going to score today.

Ollie Watkins squares but Trevoh Chalobah before curling a shot which is gathered by Edouard Mendy.

Douglas Luiz's tough race is run, he makes way for the superbly named Marvellous Nakamba.

The spillages aren't falling Villa's way either.

Edouard Mendy makes a rare mistake, fumbling the ball in the six yard box but no visiting player is on hand and the Chelsea keeper can collect at the second attempt.

Inches. This would have sealed the three points.

Romelu Lukaku holds it up well and then the ball ricochets into the area for Marcos Alonso, who spins and shoots agonisingly wide of the far post.

And this would have been the perfect response to the Chelsea fans as Bertrand Traore curls a shot which deflects narrowly wide.

Edouard Mendy was beaten.

From the corner, Ezri Konsa heads straight at the goalkeeper.

The "oles" are out from the Chelsea fans, in the 72nd minute.

Chelsea are controlling the game, keeping Villa at arms length.

The visitors can't lay a glove on the Blues at the moment.

They might want to go back to their corner, have a sip of water and try to come again.

A second Villa change.

Bertrand Traore on for Danny Ings, who barely had a sniff today.

Mateo Kovacic is getting greedy now, he is looking for a second of the game but curls narrowly wide from the left edge of the box.

A second Chelsea change.

Cesar Azpilicueta on for the disappointing Kai Havertz.

Marcos Alonso into the book for bringing down Leon Bailey after being nutmegged by the Villa winger.

No-one wants that, the absolute humiliation of a footy pitch.

The 58th minute also saw an applause for comedian Sean Lock, who was a Chelsea fan and passes away aged 58 last month.

Villa's finishing has cost them today.

Again Ollie Watkins works it well but then blazes over.

Dean Smith shuffling the pack in the second half.

The impressive 20-year-old Jacob Ramsey makes way, summer signing Leon Bailey comes on.

Excited about seeing the Jamaica international, let's see what he's got.

Marcos Alonso is so dangerous down that left.

He whips in a superb delivery, full of pace and Tyrone Mings has to react to divert it away from goal.