The Blues were dominant throughout the opening period of yesterday’s clash at Stamford Bridge. We fashioned several opportunities, with ten shots registered and Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez making smart reaction saves to deny Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro.

We did manage to break the deadlock shortly before the half-time interval; Joao Pedro got the faintest of touches on a Reece James corner to see the ball into the neat. Villa, in contrast, didn’t manage an attempt on Robert Sanchez’s goal during the opening 45 minutes.

However, it was a different story in the second half as, following a triple change from Unai Emery, which included the introduction of Ollie Watkins, Villa fought back.

The England international netted an equaliser in the 63rd minute and, in the latter stages, was able to head home from a corner to seal all three points for Villa, who fired eleven shots on the Chelsea goal after the break.

‘The goal we conceded changed the dynamic of the game,’ Maresca reflected in his post-match press conference.’I don’t know if it was the three changes [that swung momentum in Villa’s favour] but, for sure, until the goal we conceded, we were in control.

‘We should’ve scored two or three goals before we conceded the goal, but after the goal we conceded, the game completely changed.’

The Blues head coach added: ‘You have to be clinical because by the time they scored the goal we should’ve scored two or three goals and the game is then different.

‘We arrived so many times in the final third, on the outside with the wingers, we were one-v-one so many times in the first and second half. It’s a general situation that in the last third we can do better.’