LONDON (AP) – Chelsea manager Frank Lampard remains tense after a 1–1 home draw against Aston Villa on Monday, leaving his team with just one win in his last five Premier League games.
A good headbutt by French striker Olivier Giroud gave Chelsea the 34th-minute lead at Stamford Bridge, and Dutch striker Anwar El Ghazi tied at the beginning of the middle of the moment.
Villa came close to a purpose at the time when midfielder John McGinn hit the crossbar in the 69th minute, but Chelsea left-back Ben Chilwell almost scored a spectacular goal in extra time when his very good volley on the left shone just past the right post.
The tie gives Villa, who is in fifth place, a position ahead of Chelsea for difference of purpose and a point for Manchester United, who ranks fourth, leading Friday’s holiday at Old Trafford.
Lampard decided on Tammy Abraham’s striker Giroud as he continued to rotate his central striker after opting for Abraham in Saturday’s 3–1 loss to Arsenal.
Giroud and finished a move for his ninth purpose in 15 games overall this season.
He won a back-to-goal pass, then gave Christian Pulisic a right-hand shot and Pulisic quickly played the ball for the left wing at Chilwell, his quick center was low, but Giroud adjusted his frame to turn and receive the ball with a headshot in the back left corner.
A poor defense gave Villa a comfortable draw, while El Ghazi stayed on the back post to pick up a volley from a centre from Matthew Cash’s right wing to goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
Moments before McGinn’s very good shot, Chelsea captain César Azpilicueta discovered the net from a short distance, but his shot was scored in Pulisic’s offside with a second shot earlier.
Lampard brought Germany’s Timo Werner to speed up Chelsea’s attack for the final.
But it was Villa who threatened the most, and when striker Ollie Watkins directed the ball to replace Jacob Ramsey in ’82, his curly shot from outside the area went a deviated.
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