Chelsea fell behind at the 3rd minute, when Leon Bailey got past Jorrel Hato and sent a slow cross into the area, where Ollie Watkins lost Wesley Fofana and allowed Douglas Luiz to get ahead of Reece James to score. But the visitors eventually leveled after a half-hour of play, when Enzo Fernandez found Malo Gusto on the right wing and the Frenchman sent a pinpoint cross for Joao Pedro to tap in at the far post.

Just before halftime, Villa believed it had gone ahead again when Chelsea pushed too many men forward. An imprecise pass from James was intercepted, allowing the hosts to launch a counterattack, and Watkins scored after running in behind. However, after reviewing VAR, he was deemed to be offside by inches, and the Blues were spared.

In the last of the eight minutes added at the end of the first half,  Chelsea went ahead for the first time. The dynamic Alejandro Garnacho held the ball up well down the left before finding Fernandez inside, and he slotted a ball through to Pedro, who was onside by a narrow margin in contrast to Watkins' earlier effort, to convert from a tight angle.

After the break, Cole Palmer scored Chelsea's third after Emiliano Martinez parried a ball from James into the area, and the Blues' No. 10 pounced on the rebound to extend the visitors' lead.

Pedro completed his hat trick in the 64th minute, when Palmer exploited Villa's high line with a delicious through ball for Garnacho, who unselfishly squared the ball for Pedro to tap into an empty net. Fortunately for Villa, that was the end of the Blues' rout on the night.

F. Jorgensen: 6.6
J. Hato: 6.8
T. Chalobah: 7.0
W. Fofana: 6.3
M. Gusto: 7.2
E. Fernandez: 7.3
M. Caicedo: 7.1
R. James: 7.1
A. Garnacho: 7.7
C. Palmer: 8.7
J. Pedro: 9.7

The ratings were generated by Sofascore's statistical engine.

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