DAVID PLATT put the seal on Aston Villa's festive hat-trick with his 17th goal of the season at Chelsea to send Graham Taylor's side first-footing into the new decade confirmed as Liverpool's most dangerous rivals.

It took a goal tanged with luck from full-back Kevin Gage after 34 minutes to unstitch the running repairs to Chelsea's now notorious defence.

But once they were in front the Midlanders cruised to their 11th win in the last 14 League games and banked nine points out of nine from their daunting holiday programme which also had included Manchester United and Arsenal.

They were a shade fortunate when Clive Wilson squandered a good fourth minute chance for Chelsea and again when Gage galloped down the right, took a return pass from Tony Daley and saw his fierce right-foot shot take the smallest of deflections off Graham Roberts to leave goalkeeper Dave Beasant wrong-footed and helpless.

Villa survived Chelsea's retaliation, John Bustead flashing a 10-yard right-foot volley against the post and Roberts twice going close.

And, within two minutes of the second half restart, the game was as good as won thanks to a magnificent goal from Daley.

But from the resulting corner by Gordon Cowans, Platt was left unmarked at the far post to head Villa's third the 19th goal Chelsea had conceded in their last six games.

Taylor is now backing Aston Villa to take Liverpool and Arsenal all the way in their title tussle.

"The players have put themselves in a position where they have to be taken notice of and their challenge over the second half of the season is to stay there," he said.