Ollie Watkins goal leads Aston Villa past 10-man Chelsea at Stamford Bridge

Maturity and control are going to help Chelsea get back in the win column and stay on the pitch, says Mauricio Pochettino.

Nicolas Jackson’s fifth yellow card of the season takes him out of selection for the Blues’ next game, and Pochettino was more annoyed by that than the controversial challenge and sending-off from Malo Gusto on Lucas Digne.

“We were talking, we need to grow up like a team,” Pochettino said, via football.london. “Nico is young and is feeling the Premier League. Football is about winning but players when they are young need to learn. That is why we feel disappointed. We have too many situations like this.”

Pochettino also said that everyone including Chelsea’s owners have the right to be disappointed by results but need to have faith in the project.

Here’s a bit from Aston Villa boss Unai Emery are beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge:

“To win here is not easy and if the match was going different we could have lost as well but I am happy because we were very competitive and good defensively,” he said, via football.london.

“First half we had good balance but we needed more offensively. Defensively we were feeling strong, feeling good. We have to create the mentality like we showed today.”

Robert Sanchez had a very good game between the sticks and Levi Colwill is proving why Brighton was so desperate to get another year from him.

Villa was good all over the park as it stayed solid. Boubacar Kamara and Douglas Luiz are a nails midfield duo.

Chelsea vs Aston Villa player ratings (fotmob.com)

Two flashpoints decided this, and only one was remotely controversial.

Malo Gusto’s sending off, initially a yellow card before VAR review, changed the game as Chelsea could neither keep a clean sheet nor score down a man for over a half-hour.

Emiliano Martinez made four saves for his clean sheet but Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez was even better, making six saves but being defied by Ollie Watkins’ incisive finish.

The Blues finished with 53% possession despite playing down a man as long as they did, but were out-attempted 15-10. Chelsea also missed the game’s biggest chances while Villa found a way onto the score sheet. That did the trick, and Mauricio Pochettino will be left to look at a game the same way Graham Potter so often did.

What do the Blues have to do to win a game, or at least score a couple of goals?

Axel Disasi, of all people, is sent toward goal and the Chelsea back steps into a shot just as a backtracking Jacob Ramsey plows into his shoulder.

The contact puts the shot off and seems to injure Disasi’s shoulder, and Ramsey is worse for the wear, too, as it appears that Disasi’s follow through caught Ramsey.

Armando Broja enters for Moises Caicedo. Cole Palmer and Lesley Ugochukwu had previously subbed in for Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson.

The 10-man Blues have been punished by a man overdue for his first Premier League goal of the season.

It’s a counter attack led by Moussa Diaby, who carries out of the Villa end before sending Ollie Watkins toward goal.

Watkins battles a 1v1 with Levi Colwill, who gets a piece of the forward’s dribble but sees the ball stay on its path. Watkins sends a ball off the far post and over the line.

Moments later, Sterling cues up Chilwell and the Blues back is denied point-blank by Martinez.

Chelsea will be feeling cursed. 1-0, Villa.

The 10-man Blues are still finding the ball and chances.

Unfortunately for Chelsea, substitute Ben Chilwell’s excellent cross into the box is met by Pau Torres and not a pair of onrushing Blues.

This is a tough one for Chelsea. Harsh if you’re asking for this writer’s opinion.

Malo Gusto slides into a challenge with Lucas Digne, knocking the ball away but catching the fullback with his studs on the follow-through.

It’s low on the ankle but a sore one, and the initial call is a yellow card. But VAR asks the referee to come to the pitchside screen and after a long review, the yellow is taken away and a red is shown to Gusto.

That took a long time to call and does not seem clear and obvious, but we’re not refs here. Chelsea down to 10 men for more than a half-hour at home.

Still 0-0.

... and staying onside.

Raheem Sterling might’ve been onside had VAR had to take a look at the latest of several offside calls against the Blues.

But the England star was saved by Emiliano Martinez on a 2v1 break with Nicolas Jackson racing into the box alongside the Chelsea man.

Still 0-0

Chelsea’s pretty upset as a minimum of three minutes stoppage only goes two minutes beyond the 45.

Chelsea held 55 percent possession and led xG by a 0.75-0.18 score.

But Villa took five of the half’s eight shots and Robert Sanchez had three saves. Emi Martinez posted two saves at the other end.

It feels like there will be goals here, even if Chelsea’s been goal shy for over a season.

0-0 for now.

Axel Disasi is racing back to the line of Villa defenders on a partial clearance from Aston Villa.

He turns back to meet a cross, heading it past Emiliano Martinez, but the flag is up and it remains 0-0.

Close. Again.

Another big save from Robert Sanchez, who gets high to rob Nicolo Zaniolo’s near-post header off a corner kick.

Chelsea with the better of possession and shot attempts, but Villa’s had 2-3 chances that would’ve been exceptional goals.

Thiago Silva looks to be in some distress, clutching his arm but playing through the corner kick at least.

Ooh, that’s close but not what Enzo Fernandez wanted from his side-footed effort.

The Argentine goes first-time with an entry pass and it bends wide of the far post— perhaps high, too.

Did he have time to take another touch and lash on goal?

Either way, still 0-0.

We’ve seen very good work from both keepers in the past few minutes.

Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne hits a terrific strike that Robert Sanchez does well to defy in the Chelsea goal.

At the other end, Nicolas Jackson races into the box and nearly dinks one past Emiliano Martinez but there’s a lot of nearly when the Argentine is in form. Good leg save from the Villa backstop.

0-0.

Raheem Sterling has been particularly lively for Chelsea, who’s had the majority of possession at Stamford Bridge.

The hosts saw Moises Caicedo hit a shot right at Emiliano Martinez but otherwise we’ve yet to see real danger from either side.

Aston Villa, so far, look ready to counterattack against a Chelsea side which has played solid football without reliable finish under Mauricio Pochettino.

0-0.

Nicolo Zaniolo keeps his place in the XI.

The Blues are a little bit healthier today, with Moises Caicedo returning to the XI and Armando Broja giving Mauricio Pochettino a center forward option behind Nicolas Jackson.

Villa’s been thrilled with the early returns from Moussa Diaby, who has two goals and two assists from his first 419 minutes in the Premier League.

But Ollie Watkins is still awaiting his first PL goal of the season and Youri Tielemans has registered just 93 minutes. Jhon Duran’s three goals across all competitions could put a bit more pressure on Watkins, whose career record with the Villans will keep him pretty safe.

Emi Buendia, Tyrone Mings, Timothy Iroegbunam, and Diego Carlos are out, while Bertrand Traore is a longshot to return.

Chelsea’s underlying numbers are very promising but the injury list is long.

Wesley Fofana, Christopher Nkunku, Benoit Badiashile, Carney Chukwuemeka, Armando Broja, Reece James, Marcus Bettinelli, and Romeo Lavia are unfit to play, while Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Cucurella, Moises Caicedo, and Noni Madueke are in the recovery room.

Chelsea’s out-attempted league opponents 58-39 from open play and 23-17 off dead balls but have scored just five times while conceding five. Nicolas Jackson is a remarkable +2.85 xG over actual goals (1) and will feel his time should be coming soon.