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Enzo Maresca reflected on his team’s performance, saying: “I don’t think we’re ready to compete with Arsenal, Liverpool, or Manchester City just yet for a variety of reasons, and today’s victory doesn’t change that perspective. The positive, however, is that we’re improving, and I believe we’ll reach that level in time.”
He continued: “This was an excellent performance for many reasons. We faced a very strong team, and I regard Unai Emery as one of the best managers in football. He’s achieved success everywhere he’s been and is doing great things with Aston Villa. We prepared well for this match, and the win was well deserved.”
Maresca also highlighted the disparity in experience between his squad and the top teams: “Some of our players have only experienced one final, the Carabao Cup last year. That’s the biggest match they’ve played. Meanwhile, players from Arsenal, Liverpool, and City are used to finals and title races. We’ll get there eventually, but it’s why we’re not on their level just yet.”
Chelsea secured the win with first-half goals from Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez, capped off by a spectacular late curling strike from Cole Palmer. The result extended Aston Villa’s run of eight matches without a win across all competitions.
Chelsea started strongly, taking the lead in just the seventh minute when Marc Cucurella intercepted a pass, combined with Jadon Sancho, and delivered a cross for Jackson to slot the ball home via the post. Villa had a chance to respond when Ollie Watkins, who had previously scored in consecutive visits to Stamford Bridge, broke free but fired straight at goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
Villa’s defensive struggles continued when a back-pass from Pau Torres forced Emi Martinez into an awkward position, leading to a penalty for Chelsea. While Martinez managed to block Cole Palmer’s initial effort and a follow-up attempt from Jackson, his side remained under heavy pressure.
Enzo Fernandez doubled Chelsea’s lead with a superb half-volley from the edge of the box after a clever link-up with Palmer. The second half saw Chelsea dominate possession, and Villa struggled to create meaningful chances. Palmer secured the victory with a brilliant curling strike from outside the box six minutes before full-time.
After the match, Aston Villa manager Unai Emery acknowledged the difficulty of the season: “Chelsea are a different team this year. They’re stronger and more confident than they were last season. We need to adapt, regain our balance, and recover our confidence because this season is proving more challenging.”
Emery added: “Teams now view us as a top-seven club, so the element of surprise is gone. We need to focus on breaking this poor run of results, starting with Brentford on Wednesday, and aim to push back into the top eight.”
