Aston Villa have formally lodged a complaint with the Premier League after a bottle was thrown towards their technical area during the chaotic conclusion to their 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Incident Mars Dramatic Villa Comeback
The match ended in jubilant scenes for the visiting supporters, as Ollie Watkins' second-half double completed a stunning turnaround to move Villa within three points of league leaders Arsenal. However, the celebrations were marred when the away dugout was showered with water from a thrown bottle immediately after the full-time whistle.
It remains unclear whether the projectile originated from the Chelsea bench or from the home crowd. Chelsea have stated they intend to fully cooperate with any subsequent investigation into the unsavoury incident.
Emery's Masterstroke and Title Talk Dismissal
The bottle-throwing did little to dampen the spirits of a Villa side that recorded its 11th consecutive victory in all competitions. After a poor first-half display, manager Unai Emery changed the game with a bold triple substitution just before the hour mark.
One of those introduced, Ollie Watkins, proved the match-winner with two expertly taken goals, later hailing Emery as a "tactical genius". Despite the result propelling his team firmly into the title conversation, the Spanish coach was quick to dismiss any premature speculation.
"We are not going to speak about our target in the league until we are in game 34," Emery stated. "There are teams contending with a huge power to get points like Liverpool, like Chelsea. There is still another 20 matches to play." He emphasised that the immediate focus is solely on their upcoming trip to face Arsenal.
Chelsea's Frustration Boils Over
The result highlighted a stark contrast in mentality between the two sides this season. Aston Villa have now earned 18 points from losing positions, whereas Chelsea have dropped 11 points from winning positions at home alone.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, who served a touchline ban and watched from the stands, admitted his team failed to manage the game effectively after taking the lead. He also addressed Cole Palmer's visible frustration at being substituted in the 72nd minute, insisting he had no issue with the player's reaction and praised his performance.
Maresca confirmed that defender Marc Cucurella was forced off in the second half with a hamstring injury, adding to the Blues' concerns as they slipped to fifth in the table.
