Villa hold Chelsea to force a replay

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Chelsea 0 Aston Villa 0

Chelsea missed a chance to book their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup after being held to a hard-fought draw at Stamford Bridge.

In an entertaining tie, Chelsea had the best chances to win the game but found Villa keeper Emi Martinez in inspired form but the visitors finished the game the stronger side to force a replay at Villa Park.

Martinez made three crucial saves to deny Cole Palmer, Noni Madeuke, and Alfie Gilchrist in a first half that also saw Villa have a Douglas Luiz goal ruled out by VAR for handball against the Brazilian.

Palmer should have put Chelsea in front midway through the second half when a Martinez goal-kick hit him on the back of the legs but the former Manchester City winger failed to connect with a volley despite having the goal at his mercy and the ball was cleared.

Chelsea keeper Djordje Petrovic then pulled off a fine diving save to tip the ball past the post and deny Matty Cash after the full-back was put through by Ollie Watkins.

Conor Gallagher should have done much better when a chance fell to him inside the Villa box but he snatched at his shot and Martinez cleared away the danger.

Villa pushed hard for a winner in the latter stages and looked the side more likely to score with John McGinn turning Nicolo Zaniolo’s low cross narrowly past the post before Watkins lashed a shot wide.

Chelsea: Petrovic, Disasi, Badiashile, Silva, Gilchrist (Chilwell 66), Caicedo, Fernandez (Chukwuemeka 89), Gallagher, Palmer, Sterling (Broja 77), Madueke (Mudryk 77)

Subs not used: Bergstrom, Washington, Williams, Castledine, Merrick.