Chelsea 1-1 Aston Villa: 5 talking points as the Blues drop points again | Premier League 2020-21

Chelsea hosted Aston Villa in a crucial Premier League fixture on Monday.

The two sides were level on points in the standings heading into the fixture, despite the visitors playing two fewer games.

Frank Lampard made six changes to his side as the likes of Timo Werner and Thiago Silva dropped to the bench. Meanwhile, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Jorginho made their first start in the Premier League in months.

Meanwhile, the Villans were without Tyrone Mings who missed out after receiving a red card in their last game.

Chelsea were looking to bounce back from a disappointing result against Arsenal last weekend while Aston Villa were on a four-game unbeaten run.

Both sides started brightly but the visitors looked more threatening in the early parts of the game.

It was Chelsea who took the lead when Olivier Giroud scored after meeting Ben Chilwell's cross in the 34th minute. The hosts continued to push for a second goal but went into the half-time break with a one-goal lead.

The Villans started the second half as the better side. They were rewarded for their dominance when Anwar El Ghazi scored the equaliser in the 50th minute.

Both sides came close to scoring the winning goal during the remaining minutes of the game. César Azpilicueta scored a goal which was ruled offside for Chelsea and John McGinn rattled the cross-bar for Aston Villa.

The game ended with the scores level, and the two sides also remain level on the Premier League table.

On that note, here are the five major talking points from the game at Stamford Bridge.

#5 Frank Lampard wields the axe after Chelsea's loss to Arsenal

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard made six changes to the squad that faced Arsenal

Frank Lampard promised that changes would be made after Chelsea's disappointing loss to Arsenal, and he kept true to his promise.

The Blues legend made six changes to his side. Thiago Silva, Kurt Zouma, Reece James, Mateo Kovačić, Timo Werner and Tammy Abraham were all dropped. Meanwhile, players like Jorginho, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Antonio Rüdiger were brought back into the side.

These changes seemed to work as Chelsea looked the better side in the first half. However, they allowed the visitors back into the game in the second half.

This was another dismal performance from the Blues, even though they were up against an impressive Aston Villa side.

Frank Lampard must have hoped to see a response from his side after making multiple changes but some of the players who were brought into the side were largely disappointing.

The Blues manager will have to go back to the drawing board and figure out his best eleven quickly as they host Manchester City four days from now.

#4 John McGinn impresses for Aston Villa again

John McGinn has been in impressive form for Aston Villa

Aston Villa has been one of the most impressive teams in the Premier League this season. Players like Jack Grealish and Ollie Watkins have been highly praised for their performances. However, it could be argued that John McGinn has been just as important to Aston Villa's fortunes.

The midfielder struggled in the first half but grew into the game and did not let Chelsea's midfield settle in the second half. He also came close to scoring the second goal for his side when he rattled the crossbar from 25 yards out.

The Scotland international might not earn the plaudits that some of his teammates receive, but he has become ever-present in this impressive Aston Villa side.

The midfielder has not missed a single minute of action in the Premier League this season. Dean Smith will hope that he stays fit and continues to perform at a high standard for the rest of the year.

#3 Ben Chilwell: Chelsea's best summer signing

Ben Chilwell is proving himself to be Chelsea's best signing

Chelsea spent a lot of money over the summer as they overhauled their squad. Huge money was spent on the likes of Timo Werner, Kai Havertz and Ben Chilwell while Edouard Mendy and Thiago Silva were also brought in to improve the defence.

Werner and Havertz are yet to live up to their promise while Mendy and Silva have been impressive for the Blues. However, Ben Chilwell is proving himself to be the best signing as the season progresses.

Chelsea have struggled to replace Ashley Cole for nearly a decade, but Chilwell is showing signs that they have finally done it.

The England international produced his fourth assist of the season against Aston Villa. He also almost struck the winner in added time with a ferocious volley that went a wide off the far post.

The defender has four assists and two goals already this season. He faced injury issues earlier in the campaign, and Frank Lampard will hope that the full-back stays fit as Chelsea look to get back on track in the coming weeks.

#2 Aston Villa continue their unbeaten run

Aston Villa are now on a five-game unbeaten run

Aston Villa has been the surprise package in the Premier League this season. The Villans escaped relegation by a single point last season but now find themselves in fifth position after making some smart moves in the transfer market.

Dean Smith's men have played fearlessly this season. The most remarkable result for them was the 7-2 win over defending champions Liverpool. Their critics expected them to be pulled back into the relegation fight as the season progressed, but they have defied all expectations so far.

Aston Villa are now on a five-game unbeaten run and could find themselves in the top three if they win their next few games. The challenge for Dean Smith will be to keep his players motivated and to ensure that they continue to perform at this level during the second half of the season as well.

#1 Frank Lampard's future uncertain

Frank Lampard's position at Chelsea could be on the line if their results do not improve

Frank Lampard surprisingly guided a young Chelsea side into the Premier League top four last season. It was a big achievement, considering the circumstances at the start of the campaign.

This season began with greater expectations from Chelsea. After a summer of heavy spending, the Blues were expected to challenge for the title. However, they had a mixed start to the season.

The west London giants went on an unbeaten run early on, which saw them top their Champions League group in the process. However, they have looked lost ever since that unbeaten run ended.

The Pensioners have taken only 4 points from their last five games in the Premier League. They now find themselves in the fight to finish in the top four instead of challenging for the title.

Frank Lampard has faced criticism for Chelsea's poor results in recent weeks. He made six changes to his side against Aston Villa but saw his side drop another two points. The Blues have won only once against a top-10 side this season.

Roman Abramovich is famously impatient and is quick to pull the trigger when results are poor. Frank Lampard is a Chelsea legend but that will count for little if the results don't improve.

The Blues have been linked to Thomas Tuchel recently, and the pressure is now on Frank Lampard to prove his mettle in the coming weeks.