Mason Mount scored his first two club goals of the season as Chelsea survived a first-half onslaught against Aston Villa to continue Graham Potter’s unbeaten start as manager.
The England international was gifted an opener when Tyrone Mings’ header fell to him for an easy finish after six minutes.
And in front of the watching England boss Gareth Southgate, Mount added a second from a 25-yard free-kick – but again he was helped after Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez was wrong-footed.
Villa, who had been unbeaten in four games, did everything but score in the first half but found Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga in inspired form as he denied Danny Ings, John McGinn and Jacob Ramsey.
Potter, who is now six games unbeaten since taking over as Chelsea boss last month, and whose side have won the last five, gambled by playing forward Raheem Sterling at right wing-back following a knee injury to Reece James, which is set to keep the defender out of the World Cup.
Potter said afterwards that James would be in a knee brace for four weeks.
But after seeing Villa dominate the first half without finding the net, Potter moved Sterling up front and enjoyed a more comfortable second half, which kept Chelsea in fourth, four points behind third-placed Tottenham with a game in hand.
Villa might have been let down by two costly errors, and were booed at the final whistle, but manager Steven Gerrard would have been encouraged by his side’s first-half display, if not their finishing.