Latest: Aston Villa 0 Chelsea 4 – Blues cruising to emphatic win
Pedro scored twice in the second half as Chelsea headed towards an emphatic victory.
Having been 2-0 up at the break, the Blues scored again just 50 seconds into the second half as they carved open the Villa defence with ease.
Oscar, who came on at half-time, was immediately involved, exchanging quick passes with Alexandre Pato before cutting the ball back for Pedro to fire home.
And when Villa keeper Brad Guzan could only parry Pato’s curling shot on the hour mark, Pedro was there again to turn the ball in from an acute angle.
By this time, the home side – who looked lively at times in the first half – were thoroughly despondent, and Chelsea knocked the ball around with ease.
They were though perhaps fortunate not to concede a penalty when Pedro appeared to clip Villa substitute Jack Grealish.
With Matt Miazga and Pato making their first Chelsea appearances, Blues boss Guus Hiddink used the final 15 minutes to also give Jake Clarke-Salter his senior debut.
Pato had come on for the injured Loic Remy in the first half, scoring a penalty in injury-time after being fouled by Aly Cissokho.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek had put Chelsea in front midway through the half, his shot from Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross taking a deflection off Joleon Lescott.
Subs: Bunn, Okore, Bacuna, Lyden, Veretout, Grealish, Sinclair.
Chelsea: Courtois; Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Miazga, Baba; Mikel, Fabregas; Pedro, Loftus-Cheek, Kenedy; Remy.
Subs: Begovic, Clarke-Salter, Matic, Oscar, Traore, Pato, Falcao.
