Gallagher caps Chelsea fightback at Villa Park
Conor Gallagher scored the equaliser as Chelsea fought back from two goals down to clinch a deserved 2-2 draw with UEFA Champions League-chasing Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Villa looked set to go nine points clear of Tottenham Hotspur in the race to finish in the top four, with Marc Cucurella's own goal and Morgan Rogers's low drive giving it a handsome half-time lead.
Mauricio Pochettino's men dominated much of the first half without reward, but continued to press after the interval and cultured finishes from Noni Madueke and Gallagher dragged them level.
They almost completed a fine comeback in stoppage-time, but there was relief for Villa when referee Craig Pawson disallowed a goal for Chelsea defender Axel Disasi after a VAR review because of an infringement from Benoit Badiashile.
It meant Villa boss Unai Emery was unable to celebrate his new long-term contract with three points, with his team now seven points clear of fifth-placed Spurs, who have three games in hand on their rivals.
Chelsea stays ninth and is five points adrift of the top seven, but with a game in hand to come, its European hopes are not yet over.
Villa made a flying start and was ahead within four minutes, albeit in somewhat fortunate circumstances. John McGinn didn't get a clean connection on Lucas Digne's left-wing cutback, but his shot bounced off Cucurella and into the net.
Chelsea thought it was level after 16 minutes as Nicolas Jackson raced clear to finish into the roof of the net, but his strike was disallowed for offside after a VAR review, with replays showing he was leaning beyond Matty Cash.
Jackson should have equalised when he was found by Cucurella six yards out, but he could only send his header against the foot of the post and wide.
Villa then doubled the lead against the run of play shortly before half-time, with Djordje Petrovic powerless as Rogers squeezed his shot through Trevoh Chalobah's legs and in.
A hamstring injury saw Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez withdrawn at half-time, and his replacement Robin Olsen was beaten after 62 minutes, Madueke stroking home after Gallagher forced a high turnover.
Olsen stuck out an arm to deny Madueke a second with 71 minutes gone, but he had no chance as the Blues levelled with nine minutes to play, Gallagher rifling a left-footed finish into the top-left corner.
Chelsea thought it had won it when Disasi headed home five minutes into stoppage-time, but referee Pawson disallowed the goal after a VAR review, with Badiashile adjudged to have fouled Diego Carlos in the build-up.
