Blues edge Bridge battle

Chelsea 2 - Aston Villa 1

Ivanovic headed in a Frank Lampard free-kick unopposed after 73 minutes as debate raged over whether the Chelsea right-back should even have still been on the pitch.

Ref Kevin Friend had booked the Serbia defender moments earlier for catching Christian Benteke with a flailing arm in an aerial challenge which infuriated Villa boss Paul Lambert.

Blues boss Jose Mourinho played down the incident afterwards but was pleased to dig out the win.

“Paul Lambert reminds me of me at his age because he complains about every decision like I did! Now I complain about some.

“Benteke is a big boy. He commits a lot of fouls, but defenders foul him a lot too,” said Mourinho, who acknowledged Villa were unlucky.

“That was very hard, I’ve missed that about the Premier League. This is what I like. Villa probably deserved a point.”

Mourinho also revealed Chelsea will wait until after Monday’s match with Manchester United to make a third approach for transfer target Wayne Rooney.

Chelsea have seen two offers for Rooney rebuffed by United, who insist the England striker is not for sale.

Mourinho will test that resolve, but not until after the trip to Old Trafford.

“I don’t want Chelsea to do it before we go there,” said Mourinho. “Everybody in the club, in the board, they agree with me. They share that opinion.

“I think this period, by the ethical point of view, is a period where we’re going to be quiet.”

Villa were beaten 8-0 last December at the Bridge but were in buoyant mood following the 3-1 opening day win at Arsenal.

Antonio Luna scored late on at the Emirates Stadium and was on target again, only this time into his own net following a Brad Guzan save from an Eden Hazard shot.

Benteke scored his third goal of the season with the final kick of the first half to equalise from Gabriel Agbonlahor’s delivery.

But just as Villa looked their most threatening, Ivanovic struck Benteke before breaching the visitors’ defence as Mourinho’s unbeaten home record in the Premier League was extended.

In a match rescheduled from August 31 due to Chelsea’s involvement in the Uefa Super Cup against Bayern Munich, Juan Mata and Demba Ba started in place of Kevin de Bruyne and Fernando Torres, respectively, with the latter not even on the bench.

Villa named 10 of the players who started at Arsenal, the one enforced change as Ireland’s Ciaran Clark replaced Nathan Baker.

Chelsea took an early lead. Oscar fed Hazard in the left side of the area and the Belgian’s shot was blocked by Guzan, but only into the path of Luna who could do nothing about the deflection into his own net.

Ba, playing as a lone striker, was finding life challenging against Ron Vlaar and Clark, who had to be replaced by Jores Okore following a clash of heads with the Senegal striker. Living off scraps, Ba shot straight at Guzan before Villa broke forward, equalising with the last kick of the half.

Agbonlahor surged by Ivanovic down the left and cut the ball back for Benteke to shoot left-footed and low into the net.

Mourinho lamented the disappearance of Hazard, De Bruyne and Oscar following the opening half against Hull and again his playmaking trio’s influence declined as the match wore on.

Chelsea were fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men as Ivanovic challenged Benteke in the air and caught the Belgian with a wild arm, to the fury of Paul Lambert, who clashed with Mourinho.

Lampard hooked the ball off the foot of Okore from the resulting Ashley Westwood free-kick as Villa threatened once more, but then Chelsea struck. Vlaar shoved over Lukaku and Lampard swung in a free-kick which Ivanovic met unopposed six yards out.

CHELSEA: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Cole, Ramires, Lampard, Mata (Schurrle 65), Oscar (v Ginkel 84), Hazard, Ba (Lukaku 65).

ASTON VILLA: Guzan, Lowton, Vlaar, Clark (Okore 43), Luna, El Ahmadi (Tonev 82), Westwood, Delph, Weimann, Benteke, Agbonlahor.

Ref: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).