Chelsea 0-0 Aston Villa (26 Jan, 2024) Game Analysis

LONDON — Chelsea and Aston Villa will need a replay to decide who earns a place in the FA Cup fifth round after playing out an entertaining 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge on Friday.

Chelsea had the better chances overall in a gripping and nervy fourth round match on a cold evening, but with neither team able to break the deadlock, both will now have to play a replay at Villa Park to decide who will qualify for the last 16 matches of the competition.

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Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke had Chelsea's best chances of the match to find a breakthrough while Villa saw a Douglas Luiz goal disallowed in the first half for a handball.

Asked about Chelsea's missed chances, Pochettino replied: “Yeah, both sides, huh? They have incredible players in attack, different players and they didn't score but kept a clean sheet.

“These games are balanced and of course when you play a team like Aston Villa it's difficult. We didn't score, but we created chances, but I have confidence in my players and playing well. This way we will score. We scored six. Tuesday but today… the goalkeeper is an incredible goalkeeper and he was really, really good. Sometimes you need a bit of luck.”

Chelsea made three changes from the team that beat Middlesbrough 6-1 in midweek with Benoit Badiashile, Conor Gallagher and Madueke all starting. Pochettino was also forced into a late change after Levi Colwill pulled off before the match with a hamstring problem. Alfie Gilchrist was therefore a late addition at right back.

“We don't think it's that serious,” Pochettino said of Colwill's injury. “It's a small issue that he didn't feel comfortable with because… look, we knew this before we started with him, but he felt something, it's no big deal. I hope he can train tomorrow.”

Villa made two changes from their 0-0 draw against Everton a fortnight ago with Matty Cash and Youri Tielemans starting.

The visitors were the brighter of the two teams and thought they had opened the scoring after 11 minutes, Luiz scoring from close range after a Moussa Diaby shot was deflected off course. But VAR ruled that Luiz had handled the ball during the ricochet and the goal was scored.

However, after a difficult start, it was Chelsea who had the upper hand for the rest of the half. Time and again Raheem Sterling and Madueke managed to get the better of Villa's full-backs, but they lacked that clinical presence in the middle of the box. When Chelsea managed to create chances, Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez saved well from point-blank range from Madueke, twice, and Palmer to keep the match scoreless.

The second half started a little more nervously with privileged chances in the first exchanges. Palmer had the best chance of the second 45 in the 68th minute as Martínez's late clearance found the Chelsea striker inside the area, but Palmer missed his shot to let Villa go.

As the game grew tenser, Villa's Matty Cash almost opened the scoring with a wonderfully judged, curled effort, but Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic turned it around the post.

Villa had another nervy moment at the back as a poor back pass from Boubacar Kamara went unpunished in the 83rd minute, with Martínez arriving just past Gallagher. But despite both teams' attempts to find an advantage, the match ended in a stalemate.

“Very happy, very proud of our work,” said villa manager Unai Emery. We had a break this week so it was about being competitive like before. The first half we struggled but we were competitive. In the second half we improved and we We finished strong.

“We will play the replay at home and be motivated with our fans and enjoy it. We can be contenders in this competition but 90 minutes at Villa Park will be a big game but also difficult.”