Aston Villa vs. Chelsea: Winners and Losers from Premier League
Pedro scored twice as Chelsea consigned Aston Villa to yet another Premier League defeat on Saturday; a 4-0 humbling at Villa Park.
The visitors took the lead through Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the 26th minute and doubled their advantage via Alexandre Pato's penalty on the stroke of half-time. Pedro then added goals in the 46th and 59th minutes to complete the rout.
With the result, Chelsea moved up to 44 points, at least temporarily ahead of Liverpool in ninth place. Villa, who parted ways with manager Remi Garde midweek, remain at the bottom of the table and look doomed to relegation.
Here, Bleacher Report selects winners and losers from the match.
Winner: Alexandre Pato
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After signing on loan with Chelsea at the end of January, Brazilian forward Alexandre Pato finally made his debut on Saturday. He took his chance well, winning a penalty, converting the ensuing spot-kick and contributing to another goal—all as a substitute for the injured Loic Remy.
Pato was lively as soon as he came on in the 23rd minute, and his bright movement paid off just before half-time as he earned a penalty after being fouled in the box. He stepped up to take the kick himself, powering his shot beyond Brad Guzan for Chelsea's second goal.
Moments into the second half, Pato contributed again, freeing Oscar in the box with a return pass that allowed the latter to set up Pedro for another goal.
The wait was long, but Pato made an instant impact upon finally making his debut. With Remy failing to impress yet again, surely Pato will see more opportunities in the run-in.
Loser: Radamel Falcao
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It was a day of mostly positives for Chelsea, but Radamel Falcao wouldn't have known it.
The Colombian striker sat despondently on the bench, frown plastered on his face as Pato got his chance to play. It's been a miserable spell in England for Falcao, but at the very least, it will be over soon.
Winner: Ruben Loftus-Cheek
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Ruben Loftus-Cheek was another Chelsea player who took his chance and ran with it. Handed a start in the Blues midfield, the 20-year-old thrived playing a box-to-box role that showcased some of his outstanding qualities.
For instance, as the ball rolled in the corner early in the first half, Loftus-Cheek outmuscled Villa's Joleon Lescott with impressive ease. Midway through the half, he positioned himself perfectly to get on the end of a cross and remained calm to finish with aplomb.
Then, just before half-time, Loftus-Cheek showed good anticipation to intercept a slack pass by Carlos Sanchez near the edge of Villa's box. His shot rolled just wide of the target, but on another day, he might have scored his second goal of the game.
All in all, it was a good day for the youngster, who should anticipate more playing time at the end of the season.
Loser: Take Your Pick from Aston Villa
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There's absolutely no denying it: This was yet another terrible result for Aston Villa, though it wasn't the least bit unexpected.
Villa were awful on the day. Period. And for the fans, the worst part was that the players showed almost no fight and no interest. Relegation is almost certain and can be confirmed as early as next week, depending on results.
So how did Villa reach this point? This is a big club with a proud history, the seven-time champions of England and a European Cup winner.
With their signs and banners, the fans made clear their displeasure with owner Randy Lerner, whose mismanagement has left the club on the brink of relegation.
On the day, however, several players stood out for all the wrong reasons. Aly Cissokho conceded a silly penalty late in the first half and performed poorly throughout his time on the pitch. Brad Guzan made a costly mistake between the posts, gifting Chelsea another goal in the second half. Alan Hutton got himself sent off for two yellow cards in the second period, reducing an already overwhelmed side to 10 men.
Who else? Pick a name and chances are that player performed badly on the day.
Winners: Matt Miazga and Cesc Fabregas
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Chelsea handed a debut to defender Matt Miaza, who became the first American to represent the club in the Premier League. Sterner tests await, but the former New York Red Bulls man turned in a solid display and hardly put a foot wrong.
It's unclear how much playing time Miazga will see moving forward, but this was a positive first step for the American.
Elsewhere, the Blues also got a good showing from Cesc Fabregas, who dictated play throughout the first half from a deep-lying midfield position. The Spaniard also walked the disciplinary tightrope at times but was a key contributor for Chelsea, helping the visitors dominate.
