CHELSEA 3-0 ASTON VILLA – MATT BARLOW AT STAMFORD BRIDGE: His two goals led Chelsea to victory and his name echoed around Stamford Bridge as Romelu Lukaku made his own contribution to a homecoming Saturday.
Anything Cristiano Ronaldo can do. Stealing top billing from Old Trafford was never going to be easy but Lukaku’s return to West London continues to plan. After a goal at Arsenal and a powerful display to take a point in adversity at Liverpool, here, against Aston Villa, the Belgian scored first ever goals at Bridge.
They arrived in his 15th appearance at the venue – and a decade after he first stepped out in Chelsea blue – and they keep Thomas Tuchel’s side firmly in step with Manchester United at the top of the Premier League.
Lukaku has bristled with confidence since his club-record £97.5million transfer from Inter Milan, as illustrated by his second of the game, little more than a half-chance, fired into the top corner in stoppage time with his left foot.
