Chelsea relieve some of the pressure on Mauricio Pochettino by defeating Aston Villa 3-1.

Chelsea surprised Aston Villa by securing a 1-3 victory, advancing in the FA Cup and relieving some of the stress on Mauricio Pochettino.

Enzo Fernandez scored an impressive free-kick, in addition to goals from Conor Gallagher and Nicolas Jackson in the first half.

Chelsea’s night was not ruined by Moussa Diaby’s goal in injury time, and now they will be hosting Leeds in the fifth round.

After suffering a 4-2 loss to Wolves and a 4-1 defeat against Liverpool in their previous two games, it was anticipated that Chelsea would face even more turmoil in their fourth-round replay at Villa Park.

Instead, as fans chanted for former owner Roman Abramovich, their team showcased a dominating performance reminiscent of those from the Russian’s era.

Despite struggling in the Premier League this season, Chelsea still has a chance at success with upcoming matches in the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool at the end of the month.

Villa’s manager, Unai Emery, had already deemed this week to be crucial for their chances of securing a top four spot, especially with the upcoming match against Manchester United on Sunday.

However, with another loss at home, following inconsistent performances against Sheffield United and Burnley, doubts may arise about Villa’s ability to maintain their position.

At first, the players paid attention to the manager’s instructions and there were early concerns for Chelsea when John McGinn aggressively tackled Axel Disasi, followed by Alex Moreno making a mistake.

Palmer and Fernandez were only given limited opportunities, but their performance did not foreshadow the events that followed. Within 10 minutes, Chelsea supporters were already chanting Abramovich’s name, but just a minute later, the opposing team scored.

Jackson slyly maneuvered his way into the designated zone in search of Noni Madueke, a consistent source of energy for the opposing team. The forward displayed enough awareness to control the ball and pass it to Gallagher.

The midfielder had a lot to accomplish, but he managed to bypass the large group of defenders and skillfully aim for the upper corner of the goal from 16 yards away.

Villa was looking for a quick response and Leon Bailey took a shot at Djordje Petrovic. The goalkeeper also managed to deflect Ollie Watkins’s attempt over the goal.

The team’s streak of 11 months without losing a home game in the league came to an end last week with a 3-1 defeat against Newcastle. However, they were likely disappointed with their performance against a struggling Chelsea team who had only won one of their previous seven away matches.

However, once Pochettino’s team gained the lead, they became more active and increased their lead with a great, smooth play after 21 minutes.

Disasi and Madueke were part of the team that constructed the play, leading to Malo Gusto’s release. Gusto then made a brilliant cross for Jackson, who accurately headed the ball into the corner.

In the match against Newcastle, Villa’s defense was struggling while Chelsea took advantage of the sides. Madueke continued to tease the home team and his powerful run resulted in Emi Martinez saving Palmer’s attempt.

Petrovic saved McGinn’s shot in the extra time, as Villa took advantage of Ben Chilwell’s foul throw. However, it was one of the few moments of worry for the away team.

The hosts were in need of a reply, however, similar to their match against Newcastle, they gave up a third goal shortly after the second half began.

Fernandez was possibly lucky to receive a free kick while being marked by Youri Tielemans, but his 25-yard shot that curved into the top corner was not a result of luck.

Chelsea took their foot off the gas with a comfortable lead, giving Villa a glimmer of hope. However, Villa was unable to mount a comeback, despite Diaby’s goal in stoppage time.

Source: independent.co.uk