Yahoo News 'Expected' - How the national media reacted to Aston Villa 2-2 Chelsea
Aston Villa moved seven points clear of Tottenham after drawing 2-2 with Chelsea at Villa Park on Saturday night.
Morgan Rogers doubled Villa's advantage before the break after Marc Cucurella scored an own goal early on. But Villa surrendered their two-goal lead after the hour mark as Noni Madueke and Conor Gallagher levelled the game up.
Emi Martinez came off at half-time due to a hamstring injury and was replaced by Robin Olsen, who made an outstanding save to deny Cole Palmer in a one-on-one, before Chelsea thought they had bagged a late winner in extra time. From the following corner, Axel Disasi's header came off the crossbar and over the line after hitting Olsen, but VAR ruled the goal out for offside due to a foul on Diego Carlos in the box.
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Here's how the national media reported on the game...
The Guardian
By Ben Fisher
Perhaps the underlying reason for Mauricio Pochettino flanking Craig Pawson as the referee headed down the tunnel was the nagging sense that Chelsea should, really, have recorded an extraordinary comeback win long before Axel Disasi’s 95th-minute header was ruled out after the video assistant referee intervened.
By then Aston Villa, pushing to pip Tottenham to fourth place, had squandered a two-goal lead and badly faded. Disasi headed in off the underside of the bar after Chelsea recycled a corner but Benoît Badiashile gave Diego Carlos a crude bump in the buildup. Pawson may have missed it the first time but, this time, the review was only going to end one way.
The Telegaph
By Matt Law
At half-time, Aston Villa thought they had one foot in the Champions League. But by the end of a chaotic game against Chelsea, the Midlands club were relieved to take just another point towards a top-four place.
Only a VAR review to disallow a stoppage-time goal from substitute Axel Disasi prevented Villa from falling to what would have been a crushing defeat after they had been two goals up at the break.
Sky Sports
By Joe Shread
Axel Disasi's late winner was controversially disallowed after a pitch-side review as Chelsea came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Aston Villa.
In stark contrast to their capitulation at Arsenal on Tuesday, the Blues produced an impressive fightback at Villa Park, with Noni Madueke's goal and a brilliant Conor Gallagher strike bringing them level late on.
Daily Mail
By Kieran Gill
There were fans with flares outside of Villa Park's Trinity Road Stand turning the air claret and blue as the team coaches arrived. 'On our way, on our way, to the Champions League, we're on our way,' they slurred after a thirsty Saturday build-up.
Even the bloke with a broken ankle was hopping along to the chant on his one good leg. They expected an easy victory against a Chelsea team that have resembled a £1billion travelling circus at times this season, not least in their five-goal mauling at Arsenal in midweek.
The Sun
By Graeme Bryce
Chelsea proved they do have a backbone as they clawed their way back from two goals down to keep their European hopes alive.
They could even have won it at a push - and thought they had - until VAR spotted Benoit Badiashile's shove on Diego Carlos just before he crossed for sub Axel Disasi to head home.
The Independent
by Jonathan Veal
Chelsea were denied an incredible comeback at Aston Villa as they had an stoppage-time winner ruled out by VAR in a 2-2 draw.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men looked to be ending a horror week in style when Axel Disasi’s header in the fourth minute of time added on crashed in off the crossbar to overturn a 2-0 deficit.
But Benoit Badiashile was ruled to have fouled Diego Carlos in the build-up and the goal was ruled out. It had seemed like it was going to be another night to forget as Marc Cucurella’s own goal and a Morgan Rogers strike put Villa 2-0 up at the break.
