Villa keep coming from behind, keep winning by the odd goal and keep confounding the numbers. At some point it must stop – but not yet
It can’t go on. It makes no sense that it goes on. And yet it goes on.
Aston Villa went into Saturday’s Premier Leage game at Chelsea having won 10 games in a row, looking to match a record set in 1897 and 1914. For an hour there seemed no chance they would achieve it, as Chelsea outplayed them, took the lead and could have had several more. But Chelsea are vulnerable with a lead, especially at home, and Villa have developed a baffling habit of winning away games having gone behind.
First Ollie Watkins equalised, the ball cannoning in off his shin and the post after he’d been set clean through and his initial effort blocked by Robert Sánchez. Then he got the winner with a deft header, just the fourth and fifth league goals he’s scored this season. Watkins perhaps would feel he is due some luck, but there is no doubting the first goal was fortunate. At the moment, though, luck is favouring Villa.
The last nine of those 11 wins in a row have been by a single goal. They’ve kept a clean sheet in only one of them. They’ve had the better xG in only six of those games and in two of those their xG was better by 0.2 or less. Their last five away Premier League games have been won after going behind. This shouldn’t be sustainable, but everybody’s been saying that for weeks and Villa keep on winning. The question is whether results will decline to match performances or whether performances could rise to match results.
