Fabian Delph's second-half flick into the net gave Aston Villa a shock 1-0 win over league-leaders Chelsea on Saturday.
The defeat is a major blow to Chelsea's Premier League title race as they now lead second placed Manchester City by just six points having played three more games than the Manchester team.
There was more misery for Chelsea as they also lost Willian and Ramires to red card reducing them to nine men as coach, Jose Mourinho was also sent to the stands when he encrouched the field of plaay while protesting during the melee that followed a two-footed lunge by Ramires on Karim El Ahmadi.
Going into the match, Mourinho has never won at the Villa Park, and face an uphill task of correcting that but Delph made sure his misery continues.
Mourinho had recalled the fit-again Fernando Torres for Samuel Eto'o up front, while Brazil duo Willian and Oscar were also restored into the starting lineup.
A soporific opening period only came alive in the closing stages when Villa striker Christian Benteke flashed a low volley from outside the box narrowly past a post, before Matic was denied what would have been his first goal for the Blues as it was ruled for a hand ball.
Chelsea began the second period on the offensive and were almost rewarded when Eden Hazard's cut-back deflected towards goal off El Ahmadi, requiring Guzan to claw clear.
With chances few and far between, Chelsea were looking to their more creative players to unlock the door but, when Oscar found space in the area, he could only side-foot tamely at Guzan.
Villa remained a threat on the break and almost broke the deadlock through Benteke. After exchanging passes with Andreas Weimann, the Belgium international stroked his effort inches wide.
Mourinho reacted by introducing Andre Schurrle and Demba Ba for Torres and Oscar on 67 minutes in a bid to spark his team into action, yet a minute later Chelsea's cause was dealt a hefty blow following Willian's dismissal.
With just Eight minutes of play remaining, Villa took the lead.
Delph dribbled past Matic and ran towards goal before laying a pass unto the part of substitute Albrighton, who the lay a low cut back pass into the box for Delph to flick onto with his back-heel into the far bottom corner of Cech's goal.
Delph could have made it two but Cech came to the rescue, pulling a super save by pushing Delph's strike onto the cross bar.
Deep into stoppage-time, Chelsea were dealth another blow as Ramires was sent off following an audacious double footed lunging tackle on El Ahmadi, an incident that led to Mourinho being sent to the stands as he took his protest to the field outside his stipulated area.
There was more misery for Chelsea as they also lost Willian and Ramires to red card reducing them to nine men as coach, Jose Mourinho was also sent to the stands when he encrouched the field of plaay while protesting during the melee that followed a two-footed lunge by Ramires on Karim El Ahmadi.
Going into the match, Mourinho has never won at the Villa Park, and face an uphill task of correcting that but Delph made sure his misery continues.
Mourinho had recalled the fit-again Fernando Torres for Samuel Eto'o up front, while Brazil duo Willian and Oscar were also restored into the starting lineup.
A soporific opening period only came alive in the closing stages when Villa striker Christian Benteke flashed a low volley from outside the box narrowly past a post, before Matic was denied what would have been his first goal for the Blues as it was ruled for a hand ball.
Chelsea began the second period on the offensive and were almost rewarded when Eden Hazard's cut-back deflected towards goal off El Ahmadi, requiring Guzan to claw clear.
With chances few and far between, Chelsea were looking to their more creative players to unlock the door but, when Oscar found space in the area, he could only side-foot tamely at Guzan.
Villa remained a threat on the break and almost broke the deadlock through Benteke. After exchanging passes with Andreas Weimann, the Belgium international stroked his effort inches wide.
Mourinho reacted by introducing Andre Schurrle and Demba Ba for Torres and Oscar on 67 minutes in a bid to spark his team into action, yet a minute later Chelsea's cause was dealt a hefty blow following Willian's dismissal.
With just Eight minutes of play remaining, Villa took the lead.
Delph dribbled past Matic and ran towards goal before laying a pass unto the part of substitute Albrighton, who the lay a low cut back pass into the box for Delph to flick onto with his back-heel into the far bottom corner of Cech's goal.
Delph could have made it two but Cech came to the rescue, pulling a super save by pushing Delph's strike onto the cross bar.
Deep into stoppage-time, Chelsea were dealth another blow as Ramires was sent off following an audacious double footed lunging tackle on El Ahmadi, an incident that led to Mourinho being sent to the stands as he took his protest to the field outside his stipulated area.
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