On This Day
Villa are roughed up for 45 minutes as Chelsea pepper the game with shots and cynical fouls, and Villa seemingly don’t know how to react. The second 45’ sees a game transformed, Chelsea tire quickly, Villa’s chances start early and continue throughout the half as Chelsea’s cynical tactics don’t bother Villa half as much once in the ascendancy. An inspired set of Unai Emery substitutions runs the home side ragged. Villa confound the pundits once again and make it eleven wins in a row thanks to Ollie Watkins’ brace. There’s even room not to be annoyed that both Moisés Caicedo and Robert Sanchez, and arguably Marc Cucurella should not have been on the pitch to witness the final whistle and Villa stretching their lead over Chelsea to ten points.
Villa win eleven consecutive games for the first time since the 1913-14 season under George Ramsay 🏴
Villa secure their seventeenth win in nineteen games - their best ever run of results
Ollie Watkins 🏴 scores his 92nd goal for Villa, overtaking Peter Withe’s 🏴 91.
Emiliano Buendía 🇦🇷 makes his 100th Premier League appearance for Villa.
Ollie Watkins 🏴 scores his 80th League goal for Villa, only eight players have scored more League goals for the club in Villa’s history.
Ollie Watkins 🏴 contributes his 115th Premier League goal involvement for Villa in 202 appearances.
Victor Lindelöf 🇸🇪 secures his tenth win for Villa in twelve appearances for the club.
Boubacar Kamara 🇫🇷 makes his 120th appearance for Villa.
Emiliano Buendía 🇦🇷 makes his 120th appearance for Villa.
Jadon Sancho 🏴 secures his tenth win for Villa in fourteen appearances for the club.
Ollie Watkins 🏴 makes his 30th substitute appearance for Villa and 248th overall for the club.
Lamare Bogarde 🇳🇱 makes his 35th appearance under Unai Emery 🇪🇸
Lucas Digne 🇫🇷 makes his 25th Premier League substitute appearance for Villa.
GK Emiliano Martínez | 🇦🇷 |
RB Matty Cash | 🏴 🇵🇱 | 🟨 |
CB Ezri Konsa | 🏴 |
CB Victor Lindelöf | 🇸🇪 |
LB Ian Maatsen | 🇳🇱 | 🔁 |
DM Boubacar Kamara | 🇫🇷 | 🟨 | 🔁 |
CM John McGinn | 🏴 | 🔁 |
CM Youri Tielemans | 🇧🇪 | 🔥 |
AM Emiliano Buendía | 🇦🇷 | 🔁 |
AM Morgan Rogers | 🏴 | 🟨 |
RW Donyell Malen | 🇳🇱 | 🔁 |
Unai Emery | 🇪🇸 | 2022-

Substitutes
🔁 | CF Ollie Watkins | 🏴 | ⚽ | ⚽ | for AM Emiliano Buendía | 🇦🇷 | 59’ |
🔁 | LW Jadon Sancho | 🏴 | for RW Donyell Malen | 🇳🇱 | 59’ |
🔁 | DM Amadou Onana | 🇧🇪 | for CM John McGinn | 🏴 | 59’ |
🔁 | LB Lucas Digne | 🇫🇷 | for LB Ian Maatsen | 🇳🇱 | 83’ |
🔁 | DM Lamare Bogarde | 🇳🇱 | for DM Boubacar Kamara | 🇫🇷 | 83’ |
Unused Substitutes
GK Marco Bizot | 🇳🇱 |
RB Andrés García | 🇪🇸 |
M George Hemmings | 🏴 |
CM Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba | 🏴 |
Yellow Cards (Warnings, Cautions, Bookings)
🟨 Matty Cash, Bad Foul (46)
🟨 Morgan Rogers, Bad Foul (21)
🟨 Boubacar Kamara, Bad Foul (21)
Red Cards (Ordered from Field of Play, Dismissals, Sendings Off)
None
Trophy Record
European Cup / Champions League: 🏆
League Champions: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆🏆
FA Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆🏆
League Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
Last Trophy: 1995-96
Matchday Squad
Goalkeepers
GK Emiliano Martínez | 🇦🇷 | €17.40m | 32 |
GK Marco Bizot | 🇳🇱 | Free | 34 |
Defenders
CB Ezri Konsa | 🏴 | €13.30m | 28 |
CB Victor Lindelöf | 🇸🇪 | Free | 31 |
Full Backs
LB Ian Maatsen | 🇳🇱 | €44.50m | 23 |
LB Lucas Digne | 🇫🇷 | €30.00m | 32 |
RB Matty Cash | 🏴 🇵🇱 | €15.75m | 28 |
RB Andrés García | 🇪🇸 | €7.00m | 22 |
Midfielders
DM Amadou Onana | 🇧🇪 | €59.35m | 24 |
AM Emiliano Buendía | 🇦🇷 | €38.40m | 28 |
AM Morgan Rogers | 🏴 | €9.40m | 23 |
CM John McGinn | 🏴 | €3.10m | 30 |
DM Lamare Bogarde | 🇳🇱 | Youth | 21 |
M George Hemmings | 🏴 | Youth | 18 |
CM Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba | 🏴 | Youth | 19 |
CM Youri Tielemans | 🇧🇪 | Free | 28 |
DM Boubacar Kamara | 🇫🇷 | Free | 25 |
Wingers
RW Donyell Malen | 🇳🇱 | €25.00m | 26 |
LW Jadon Sancho | 🏴 | Loan | 25 |
Forwards
CF Ollie Watkins | 🏴 | €34.00m | 29 |
Unavailable
Injury | 3 |
CB Tyrone Mings | 🏴 |
Injury: Thigh
Absent since: 6 Nov 25
Matches missed to date: 10
Last Update: 2 Dec 2025: 'Tyrone is out for tomorrow, I think four weeks more to be available.'
Expected return: 3 Jan 2026
CM Ross Barkley | 🏴 |
Injury: Knee
Absent since: 3 Dec 25
Matches missed to date: 5
Last Update: 2 Dec 2025: 'Ruled out as well is Ross Barkley, his [knee] injury is more than we expected. I don’t know exactly, but maybe 8-10-12 weeks. Hopefully, a little bit less.'
Expected return: 21 Feb 2026
CB Pau Torres | 🇪🇸 |
Injury: Calf/Shin/Heel
Absent since: 11 Dec 25
Matches missed to date: 3
Last Update: 12 Dec 2025: 'We need now to know how they are - the players who played [yesterday] and the players who were injured... We are training now, and we are going to train tomorrow morning. And then travel to London. I don't know.'
Expected return: 3 Jan 2026
Other | 2 |
CF Evann Guessand | 🇨🇮 |
Reason: International Duty, AFCON
Expected return: 3 Jan 2026
AM Harvey Elliott | 🏴 |
Reason: Not currently being considered for selection
Out on Loan | 20 |
CB Josh Feeney 🏴 Youth | 20 | 🇱
Huddersfield Town 🏴
🕒 15 | ✅ 13 | 🔁 2 | ⚽ 1 | 🔥 0 | 🇺 2 |
RB Kosta Nedeljkovic 🇷🇸 €7.60m | 20 | 🇱
RB Leipzig 🇩🇪
🕒 6 | ✅ 4 | 🔁 2 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺 5 |
GK Oliwier Zych 🇵🇱 Youth | 21 | 🇱
Raków Częstochowa 🇵🇱
🕒 13 | ✅ 13 | 🔁 0 | ⛔ 5 | 🥅 10 | 🇺 15 |
AM Tommi O'Reilly 🏴 Youth | 22 | 🇱
Crewe Alexandra 🏴
🕒 24 | ✅ 23 | 🔁 1 | ⚽ 4 | 🔥 8 | 🇺 0 |
CB Finley Munroe 🏴 Youth | 20 | 🇱
Swindon Town 🏴
🕒 20 | ✅ 19 | 🔁 1 | ⚽ 2 | 🔥 4 | 🇺 0 |
CB Sil Swinkels 🇳🇱 Youth | 21 | 🇱
Exeter City 🏴
🕒 10 | ✅ 7 | 🔁 3 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺 3 |
DM Enzo Barrenechea 🇦🇷 €8.00m | 24 | 🇱
SL Benfica 🇵🇹
🕒 26 | ✅ 26 | 🔁 0 | ⚽ 1 | 🔥 0 | 🇺 1 |
CF Louie Barry 🏴 €1.00m | 22 | 🇱
Sheffield United 🏴
🚑 🕒 8 | ✅ 7 | 🔁 1 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺 3 |
GK Sam Lewis | 🏴 | Youth | 19 | 🇱
Oxford City 🏴
🕒 15 | ✅ 15 | 🔁 0 | ⛔ 3 | 🥅 26 | 🇺 0 |
CM I-Lani Edwards 🏴 Youth | 20 | 🇱
Hereford 🏴
🕒 14 | ✅ 10 | 🔁 4 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 2 | 🇺 2 |
CB Yasin Özcan 🇹🇷 €7.00m | 19 | 🇱
RSC Anderlecht 🇧🇪
🕒 3 | ✅ 1 | 🔁 2 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺 10 |
GK Joe Gauci 🇦🇺 €1.50m | 25 | 🇱
Port Vale 🏴
🕒 12 | ✅ 12 | 🔁 0 | ⛔ 4 | 🥅 13 | 🇺 5 |
CB Kerr Smith 🏴 €960k | 21 | 🇱
Barrow 🏴
🕒 3 | ✅ 1 | 🔁 2 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺 4 |
RW Leon Bailey 🇯🇲 €32.00m | 28 | 🇱
AS Roma 🇮🇹
🕒 10 | ✅ 1 | 🔁 9 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 1 | 🇺 1 |
LW Lewis Dobbin 🏴 €11.80m | 22 | 🇱
Preston North End 🏴
🕒 18 | ✅ 15 | 🔁 3 | ⚽ 4 | 🔥 7 | 🇺 1 |
CM Ewan Simpson 🏴 €290k | 19 | 🇱
Hamilton Academical 🏴
🚑 🕒 5 | ✅ 3 | 🔁 2 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺 0 |
LW Samuel Iling-Junior 🏴 €14.00m | 22 | 🇱
West Bromwich Albion 🏴
🕒 13 | ✅ 8 | 🔁 5 | ⚽ 1 | 🔥 0 | 🇺 2 |
CF Zépiqueno Redmond 🇳🇱 Free | 19 | 🇱
Huddersfield Town 🏴
🚑 🕒 3 | ✅ 1 | 🔁 2 | ⚽ 1 | 🔥 0 | 🇺 0 |
RB Triston Rowe 🏴 Youth | 18 | 🇱
FC Annecy 🇫🇷
🕒 12 | ✅ 9 | 🔁 3 | ⚽ 1 | 🔥 1 | 🇺 0 |
CB Thierry Katsukunya 🏴 Youth | 20 | 🇱
Real Unión 🇪🇸
🕒 5 | ✅ 3 | 🔁 2 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺 8 |
AM Max Lott 🏴 Youth | 18 | 🇱
Stratford Town 🏴
🕒 9 | ✅ 2 | 🔁 7 | ⚽ 2 | 🔥 1 | 🇺 0 |
Youth | 10 |
GK Sam Proctor | 🏴 | €120k | 18 |
GK James Wright | 🏴 | Youth | 20 |
GK Rhys Oakley | 🏴 | Youth | 18 |
GK Ronnie Hollingshead | 🏴 | Free | 20 |
CB Leon Routh | 🏴 | Youth | 18 |
LB Travis Patterson | 🏴 | Youth | 19 |
CM Aidan Borland | 🏴 | €350k | 18 |
AM Bradley Burrowes | 🏴 | Youth | 17 |
LW Kadan Young | 🏴 | Youth | 19 |
LW Ben Broggio | 🏴 | Youth | 18 |
Team News
Team Stats
Debut Appearances
None
Final Appearances
None
Starting XI
Scorer(s): Ollie Watkins | 63’ | 84’ |
Assist(s): Youri Tielemans | 84’ |
Match Timeline
🟨 30’ Booking, Matty Cash, Bad Foul
🥅 37 Goal, 0-1, (Chelsea), João Pedro
🕒 45’+3 HT Chelsea 1-0 Aston Villa
🟨 57’ Booking, Morgan Rogers
[🟨] 57’ Booking, (Chelsea), Reece James
🔁 59’ Sub off, Emiliano Buendía, Sub on, Ollie Watkins
🔁 59’ Sub off, Donyell Malen, Sub on, Jadon Sancho
🔁 59’ Sub off, John McGinn, Sub on, Amadou Onana
⚽ 63’ Goal!, 1-1, Ollie Watkins
[🟨] 68’ Booking (Chelsea), Trevoh Chalobah, Bad Foul
[🟨] 71’ Booking (Chelsea), Moisés Caicedo, Bad Foul
[🟨] 71’ Booking (Chelsea), Liam Delap, Bad Foul
🟨 78’ Booking, Boubacar Kamara, Bad Foul
⚽ 84’ Goal!, 2-1, Ollie Watkins, Assist by Youri Tielemans
[🟨] 90’+4 Booking (Chelsea), Enzo Fernández
🕒 90’+6 HT Chelsea 1-2 Aston Villa
Season: 2025-26
Matchday: #25
League Game: #18
Manager Game: #165
Date: Saturday, 27 December 2025
Attendance: 39,765
Match Record
Game Record
Manager: Unai Emery | 🇪🇸 | Hondarribia, 2022-
Referee: Stuart Attwell | 🏴 | Nuneaton, 2009-
Kick off: 5.30pm
HT Score: 🟥 0-1
FT Result: 🟩 Won
FT Score: 🟩 2-1
Last 5: 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩
Officials
Referee: Stuart Attwell | 🏴 | Nuneaton, 2009-
Assistants: Constantine Hatzidakis, Adam Nunn
Fourth official: Tim Robinson
VAR: Paul Howard | 🏴 | London, 2025-
Assistant VAR: Sian Massey-Ellis
Referee: Stuart Attwell | 🏴 | Nuneaton, 2009-
🕒 23 | 🟩 12 | 🟨 5 | 🟥 6 |
🕒 23 | 🟩 52% | 🟨 22% | 🟥 26% |
Cards 🟨 55 | 🟥 2 | 2.48 |
Opposition Cards 🟨 58 | 🟥 3 | 2.65 |
Penalty ⚽ 5 | 🥅 2 |
Last 5: 🟩 🟩 🟥 🟥 🟩
VAR: Paul Howard | 🏴 | London, 2025-
🕒 1 | 🟩 1 | 🟨 0 | 🟥 0 |
🕒 1 | 🟩 100% | 🟨 0% | 🟥 0% |
Cards 🟨 3 | 🟥 0 | 3.00 |
Opposition Cards 🟨 5 | 🟥 0 | 5.00 |
Penalty ⚽ 0 | 🥅 0 |
Last 5: 🟩
Match Stats
Villa Possession 37%
Opposition Possession 63%
Villa Shots 11
Opposition Shots 14
Villa Shots on Target 8
Opposition Shots on Target 3
Villa Shots off Target 1
Opposition Shots off Target 4
Villa Touches in Box 17
Opposition Touches in Box 44
Villa Fouls 8
Opposition Fouls 16
Villa Corners 7
Opposition Corners 6
Villa Saves 2
Opposition Saves 6
Unai Emery | 🇪🇸 | 2022-
🕒 165 | 🟩 | 93 🟨 | 29 🟥 43 | 1.87
Villa Career Form:
Top 4
What they Said
"We kept the same game plan we had at the first half, but the first half they were playing fantastic. They were dominating. We couldn't get the ball easily. We were defending low, we are defending well. We didn't concede corners, only one corner and they score. But we needed to be passionate and try to keep being resilient and we were speaking after the first half in the dressing room."
"We were getting better but we needed to change some fresh legs and as well different players."
"He was so, so focused. Keeping the game plan like we planned and doing his tasks, he's normally getting his numbers and today scoring goals is fantastic."
"We are playing against Arsenal and our mentality is to compete strongly. And we are not going to speak about our target in the league until we are in the day 34 because there are teams contending with a huge power to get points like Liverpool, like Chelsea and they are keeping contending more than us to be there. Of course we are performing very well, we are in a row winning matches, we are competing fantastic, we competed first half fantastic and we were struggling. But the second half more or less like this season we are progressively getting better and being humble."
“No, 38 matches. If it finishes tomorrow then this match against Arsenal is finishing the league. There is still another 20 matches to play."
**Unai Emery, post-match.**
"An amazing win. For me personally to come on and score two goals is a great feeling - but to keep up this run and come here, a tough place, and beat Chelsea is amazing.
""He changed it because Chelsea were going man for man but they had the extra centre-back when we were going long. When I came on in the second half he brought Jadon Sancho and Morgan Rogers on the wing and put Youri Tielemans in the No 10 - so we had an extra man in there. He's a tactical genius.
"I haven't been where I want to be but I can use this as a marker to push on for the end of the season.
"I can't say that's a classy finish at the end of the day, but I'll take it all day long.
"He wasn't marking me too tightly, so it's basically a free header. It's nice to see it float into the corner.
"I feel like teams are worried about us, even if we may not play the prettiest football at times. We're taking each game as it comes and focusing on ourselves really. There's a lot of talk about us and people asking if we can win the title, but it's a long way away. We're just focusing on the next game."
**Ollie Watkins.**
GK Robert Sánchez | 🇪🇸 |
LB Marc Cucurella | 🇪🇸 | 🔁 |
CB Benoît Badiashile | 🇫🇷 |
CB Trevoh Chalobah | 🏴 | 🟨 |
RB Reece James | 🏴 | 🟨 |
M Enzo Fernández | 🇦🇷 | 🟨 |
M Moisés Caicedo | 🇪🇨 | 🟨 |
M Cole Palmer | 🏴 | 🔁 |
W Alejandro Garnacho | 🇦🇷 | 🔁 |
W Pedro Lomba Neto | 🇵🇹 |
CF João Pedro | 🇧🇷 | ⚽ | 🔁 |
Enzo Maresca | 🇮🇹 |
Substitutes
🔁 | RB Malo Gusto | 🇫🇷 | for LB Marc Cucurella | 🇪🇸 | 69’ |
🔁 | W Jamie Gittens | 🏴 | for W Alejandro Garnacho | 🇦🇷 | 69’ |
🔁 | CF Liam Delap | 🏴 | 🟨 | for CF João Pedro | 🇧🇷 | 69’ |
🔁 | W Estêvão Willian Almeida de Oliveira Gonçalves | 🇧🇷 | for M Cole Palmer | 🏴 | 72’ |
Unused Substitutes
GK Filip Jørgensen | 🇩🇰 | €24.50m | 23 |
CB Tosin Adarabioyo | 🏴 | Free | 28 |
CB Josh Acheampong | 🏴 | Youth | 19 |
CB Wesley Fofana | 🇫🇷 | €80.40m | 25 |
M Andrey Santos | 🇧🇷 | €12.50m | 21 |
Yellow Cards (Warnings, Cautions, Bookings)
🟨 Reece James
🟨 Trevoh Chalobah
🟨 Moisés Caicedo
🟨 Liam Delap
🟨 Enzo Fernández
Red Cards (Ordered from Field of Play, Dismissals, Sendings Off)
None
Opposition Trophy Record
European Cup / Champions League: 🏆🏆
UEFA Cup Winners: 🏆🏆
UEFA Cup Winners Cup Winners: 🏆🏆
League Champions: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆
FA Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆🏆🏆
League Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
Last Trophy: 2020-21
Opposition Matchday Squad
Goalkeepers
GK Filip Jørgensen | 🇩🇰 | €24.50m | 23 |
GK Robert Sánchez | 🇪🇸 | €23.00m | 28 |
Defenders
CB Wesley Fofana | 🇫🇷 | €80.40m | 25 |
CB Benoît Badiashile | 🇫🇷 | €38.00m | 24 |
CB Trevoh Chalobah | 🏴 | Youth | 26 |
CB Josh Acheampong | 🏴 | Youth | 19 |
CB Tosin Adarabioyo | 🏴 | Free | 28 |
Full Backs
LB Marc Cucurella | 🇪🇸 | €65.30m | 27 |
RB Malo Gusto | 🇫🇷 | €30.00m | 22 |
RB Reece James | 🏴 | Youth | 26 |
Midfielders
M Enzo Fernández | 🇦🇷 | €121.00m | 24 |
M Moisés Caicedo | 🇪🇨 | €116.00m | 24 |
M Cole Palmer | 🏴 | €47.00m | 23 |
M Andrey Santos | 🇧🇷 | €12.50m | 21 |
Wingers
🆕 W Jamie Gittens | 🏴 | €64.30m | 21 |
W Pedro Lomba Neto | 🇵🇹 | €60.00m | 25 |
🆕 W Alejandro Garnacho | 🇦🇷 | €46.20m | 21 |
🆕 W Estêvão Willian Almeida de Oliveira Gonçalves | 🇧🇷 | €34.00m | 18 |
Forwards
🆕 CF João Pedro | 🇧🇷 | €63.70m | 24 |
🆕 CF Liam Delap | 🏴 | €35.50m | 22 |
Opposition Unavailable
Injury | 3 |
1. CB Levi Colwill | 🏴 | Youth | 22 |
2. M Roméo Lavia | 🇧🇪 | €62.10m | 22 |
3. 🆕 M Dário Essugo | 🇵🇹 | €22.27m | 20 |
Suspension | 1 |
1. W Mykhaylo Mudryk | 🇺🇦 | €70.00m | 25 |
Out on Loan | 11 |
1. CF Deivid Washington | 🇧🇷 | €16.00m | 20 | 🇱Santos
2. GK Mike Penders | 🇧🇪 | €20.00m | 20 | 🇱Strasbourg
3. 🆕 CB Mamadou Sarr | 🇫🇷 | €20.00m | 20 | 🇱Strasbourg
4. CB Aarón Anselmino | 🇦🇷 | €16.50m | 20 | 🇱Dortmund
5. 🆕 M Kendry Páez | 🇪🇨 | €10.00m | 18 | 🇱Strasbourg
6. CF Nicolas Jackson | 🇫🇷 | €37.00m | 24 | 🇱Bayern
7. GK Ted Curd | 🏴 | Youth | 19 | 🇱Borehamwood
8. LB Caleb Wiley | 🇺🇸 | €10.10m | 20 | 🇱Watford
9. M Omari Kellyman (ex) | 🇬🇧 | €22.50m | 20 | 🇱Cardiff
10. M Leo Castledine | 🏴 | Free | 20 | 🇱Huddersfield
11. CF David Datro Fofana | 🇨🇮 | €12.00m | 22 | 🇱 Fatih Karagümrük
League Table



