Joao Pedro stars with hat-trick as Chelsea thrash Aston Villa to close in on top four

[p]The two sides came into this encounter separated by six points in the race for a spot in Europe’s premier club competition.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aston-villa/W00wmLO0/"]Villa[/a] were the side in the better position as they led the Blues in the table, [b]and they needed just three minutes to break the deadlock when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/douglas-luiz/IZxlmmuF/"]Douglas Luiz[/a] backheeled [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bailey-leon/Mc0XPojG/"]Leon Bailey[/a]’s cross into the back of the net.[/b][/p][p]Nevertheless, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a] responded well as they looked to bounce back from their Matchday 28 defeat to Arsenal, [b]with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/joao-pedro/CAmJERl2/"]Pedro[/a]’s header forcing an important stop from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-emiliano/ziCcc5jM/"]Emiliano Martinez[/a] shortly after.[/b][/p][p]Next to test the Argentinian goalkeeper was [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/palmer-cole/h8agbDt7/"]Cole Palmer[/a], although that intervention was far more routine.[/p][p][b]Eventually, though, Chelsea did have their equaliser when Pedro slid in to tap Malo Gusto’s pinpoint low cross into an empty net. [/b][/p][embed guid="3d2b2ba2-1446-49de-9a13-de10739aee94" url="https://x.com/ChelseaFC/status/2029308780110876962" social-type="twitter" /][p]The hosts grew in confidence midway through the half and had a slew of chances themselves.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/watkins-ollie/rHnOkDD8/"]Ollie Watkins[/a] was the main threat and, after twice testing incoming goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jorgensen-filip/OSueaqvP/"]Filip Jorgensen[/a], the England international thought he had restored his team’s lead by pouncing on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/james-reece/nLBC7ERa/"]Reece James[/a]’ loose pass and burying into the corner.[/p][p]However, the goal was ruled out for the narrowest of offsides, and the visitors ultimately took advantage of their reprieve in the seventh of eight additional minutes.[/p][p][b]Pedro has arguably been the Blues’ most decisive player since [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rosenior-liam/4fMAHvLm/"]Liam Rosenior[/a]’s arrival as head coach, and his delightful chip over Martinez for his 13th Premier League goal of the season put his side in front at the interval. [/b][/p][p]Both teams pushed forward in search of more goals after the break, and it was Chelsea who had the ball in the back of the net next.[/p][p][b]Palmer had not been at his best in the opening period; it was his strike after Martinez had pushed James’ cross into a dangerous area that gave the London side extra breathing space. [/b][/p][image alt="Match stats" id="0756aa99-05ce-42e6-80ae-8332840a1b24" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="7b4ff0cd-4216-42ea-bc39-81ffafea7b05" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]By this point, Chelsea were purring, and it was a wonderful team move that gave them their fourth.[/p][p][b]Palmer’s through ball was perfectly weighted into the path of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/garnacho-alejandro/jqrfFKsi/"]Alejandro Garnacho[/a], who squared the ball on a plate for Pedro to complete his treble.[/b][/p][p]Garnacho could have added extra gloss to the scoreline, but his effort from close-range was kept out by Martinez. All in all, though, this was a fantastic evening for Rosenior and Co., with Chelsea closing the gap on the top four.[/p][p]Villa, meanwhile, have now won just one of their past six at home - hardly the kind of form required to secure a place in next season’s UCL.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/joao-pedro/CAmJERl2/"]Joao Pedro[/a] (Chelsea)[/b][/p][image alt="Momentum" id="67987dcc-1146-456f-a2e1-a07e62e72b11" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="4054466b-73ef-454a-b360-2c1c562f7871" original-width="1920" original-height="1080" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/aston-villa-W00wmLO0/chelsea-4fGZN2oK/summary/stats/?mid=Y1fIjVGM"]Catch up on the match stats with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]