Aston Villa 0 Chelsea 4 - Report and pictures

The Spaniard netted twice in the opening 15 minutes of the second-half as a much-changed visiting side condemned the managerless hosts to a seventh straight loss.

By then the champions already led 2-0 thanks to first Premier League goals from Reuben Loftus-Cheek and Alexandre Pato, the latter from the spot in first half stoppage time.

A miserable afternoon for Villa was then capped off when Alan Hutton was sent off for a second bookable offence in the closing stages.

Home fans chanted "you're not fit to wear the shirt" at the players and, in the 74th minute, held up banners which read "Proud history, what future?" as part of their ongoing protest against owner Randy Lerner.

Depending on other results, Villa could be relegated as early as next Saturday.

This was, for 45 minutes at least, far from their worst performance of the season but it followed a depressingly familiar pattern to all other recent defeats.

Once Loftus-Cheek had opened the scoring, the heads of the home players dropped and they were, for what feels like the umpteenth time this term, caught out at the end of the first-half and the beginning of the second, as Pato and then Pedro put the game well out of reach.

Caretaker boss Eric Black, in charge following Remi Garde's exit earlier this week, made just two changes to the side beaten 1-0 at Swansea prior to the international break.

Aston Villa (4-3-2-1): Guzan, Hutton, Lescott, Richards, Cissokho, Westwood, Sanchez (Bacuna 66), Gana (Lyden 83), Gil (Grealish 66), Ayew, Gestede.

Subs not used: Okore, Sinclair, Veretout, Bunn (gk).

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Azpilicueta, Ivanovic (c), Miazga, Baba; Mikel, Fabregas; Pedro (Clark-Salter 74), Loftus-Cheek, Kenedy (Oscar HT); Remy (Pato 23).

One of them was enforced, as Micah Richards returned to the heart of defence in place of the injured Ciaran Clark.

Fit-again midfielder Carlos Sanchez also returned for his first start since January, with Jordan Veretout moving to a bench which also included Jack Grealish.

With little left to play for in their season, Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink made a host of changes.

There was no place in the squad for either John Terry or Gary Cahill, with 20-year-old American defender Matt Miazga making his Premier League debut in defence.

The opening minutes were played at a pedestrian pace before Pedro came inches away from putting the visitors ahead.

A corner was cleared only as far as the Spaniard, who twisted and turned before firing a shot just wide of the post from the edge of the box.

The same player also saw an effort ruled out for offside, before the visitors were forced into an early change as Pato replaced the injured Loic Remy for his first appearance since a January loan move from Corinthians.

Villa, it must be said, were not without their moments. Rudy Gestede troubled visiting goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois with a snapshot and Jordan Ayew saw an effort deflected wide.

But, has typically been the case, it took just one moment of skill to unlock them, as Chelsea opened the scoring on 26 minutes.

Loftus-Cheek put the finishing touch on a fine move, which saw the visitors stretch the hosts before Cesar Azpilicueta caught out the home defence with a cross from the right which the youngster swept home right-footed, via a deflection off Joleon Lescott.

Villa responded well and were unlucky not to draw level when their best move of the game ended with Courtois saving from Carles Gil, before the goalkeeper quickly regained his feet to save again after Baba Rahman's clearance had rebounded goalward off Ayew.

Had referee Neil Swarbrick seen things differently, Chelsea might also have found themselves down to 10 men. But the official waved away calls for Cesc Fabregas to be shown a second yellow when he slid through Ayew, moments after receiving his first.

Neither side was looking particularly comfortable at the back, with Guzan saving from Rahman to prevent Chelsea extending their lead.

Ayew then pushed a shot agonisingly wide of the far post, after another the hosts had manufactured another decent move down the left.

Villa, however, always looked an accident waiting to happen at the back and were fortunate not to fall further behind when Sanchez inexplicably gave the ball straight to Loftus-Cheek and he sent a shot just wide of the post.

As it was, the hosts didn't make it to the break without conceding again. Aly Cissokho hauled down Pato as the two challenged for Fabregas' cross and the Brazilian got back up to beat Guzan from the spot.

Any remote hope the hosts might launch a comeback was then ended less than 60 seconds after the restart.

Villa have made an unfortunate habit of conceding early in the second half though this one was quick even by their standards, as Pedro side-footed home after Villa's defence had been sliced open by a fine passing move involving Pato and Oscar, the latter having entered the fray only seconds earlier as a half-time substitute.

It was always going to be a case of damage limitation from that moment on but the pain kept coming for Villa. Pedro got his second when he squeezed home from a tight angle, after Guzan failed to hold Pato's curling shot, prompting a loud chorus of "you're not fit to wear the shirt" from the stands.

Black introduced Grealish and Leandro Bacuna - the latter of whom was loudly booed by his own supporters - in a bid to find a consolation.

Grealish nearly created one when his centre just evaded a diving Ashley Westwood at the far post. Villa also might have been awarded a penalty after Grealish appeared to be bundled over by Pedro in the box.

It was all academic however and with seven minutes to go, Villa were reduced to 10 as Hutton, earlier booked for hauling down Pato, was shown a second yellow for diving in on Loftus-Cheek.