Aston Villa vs Chelsea: Player ratings, analysis and reaction as Lukaku stars on return

Aston Villa 1-3 Chelsea (James OG ’28, Jorginho P ’34, P ’90+3, Lukaku ’56)

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has launched an attack on the Premier League for allowing the season to continue without five substitutes.

Tuchel is angry with so many matches being postponed amid more Covid-19 cases, even though both scorers Romelu Lukaku and Jorginho played their first Premier League games since recovering from the virus.

Chelsea had a request to postpone their recent game against Wolverhampton Wanderers rejected when they had seven positive cases.

Tuchel’s ire came after a 3-1 win against Aston Villa moved his side level on points with second-placed Liverpool.

A goal from Lukaku sandwiching penalties from Jorginho prevented Chelsea suffering a Covid hangover after Reece James’s own goal put Villa ahead.

But their head coach was far from happy.

“We play against teams with games postponed. This cannot be the right way,” fumed Tuchel.

“There are not enough changes (allowed) for us. Five subs was invented because of Coronavirus.

“Europe has a winter break but we play through and put it on the players’ shoulders.

“They make us play all the time even if we have Covid. We have new injuries and it won’t stop. People at the green table, in offices make these decisions.”

Chelsea lost two more players during the game in Thiago Silva (hamstring) and N’Golo Kante (knee).

“We played against a team with no international duty. At some stage it will catch us,” added Tuchel.

Lukaku scored his ninth goal in 10 games against Villa then won the penalty to seal victory.

The £97.5 million striker’s last Premier League goals had also been against Villa, in September in a 3-0 win.

And the Belgium international took just 11 minutes after coming on at half-time to head the European champions in front.

Tuchel admitted he took a gamble on Lukaku after bringing him on at half-time for Trevoh Chalobah.

“It was more than the fitness and medical department recommended for him, but we thought we could take the risk and be more offensive,” he revealed. “I asked him if he could play 45 minutes, he said yes and I said ‘OK, try to play as a number nine’.”

Villa manager Steven Gerrard kept in touch with assistant Gary McAllister via phone from home after testing positive for Covid over Christmas, forcing his absence from Villa Park.

But there was little lacking in communication from the home side in the first half as Chelsea were continually forced on the back foot.

Villa took a 28th minute lead when Matt Targett crossed from the left and James’s headed flick looped up over goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who got both hands to the ball.

Five minutes later, Chelsea won a penalty when Matty Cash lunged in on Callum Hudson-Odoi from behind.

Jorginho kept his nerve to coolly despatch beyond Emiliano Martinez, who was booked for delaying the kick.

Lukaku was quick to make his mark after appearing for the restart.

The former Manchester United striker got in front of Villa captain Tyrone Mings to glance home a cross from Hudson-Odoi in the 56th minute to put his side ahead.

Lukaku won Chelsea’s second penalty in the second minute of time added on when Ezri Konsa sent him tumbling.

Jorginho calmly rolled the ball to Martinez’s left for the Londoners’ third goal.

The Italian Euro 2020 winner scored his sixth goal in six games – all from the spot – meaning he has now netted at least four more penalties (13) than any other player since the start of the 2020-21 Premier League season.

Gerrard isn’t showing any symptoms and McAllister admitted it was a wrench not to have had the influence he wanted.

“Boxing Day against the European champions under the lights on the TV – you can imagine this was exactly the sort of game he would have loved,” he said.