This archive report was first published on 26 December 2021.
Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku made a triumphant return to the pitch, scoring a crucial goal and earning a penalty as his team secured a much-needed 3-1 victory over Aston Villa in the Premier League on December 26, 2021.
Lukaku, who had been sidelined due to injury and COVID-19, came off the bench at halftime and transformed the game with his exceptional performance. He provided a constant threat to the Villa defense, scoring a fine glancing header in the 56th minute and earning a late penalty that sealed the win for Chelsea.
Third-placed Chelsea, who had drawn their previous two games, are now level with second-placed Liverpool on 41 points, just six behind leaders Manchester City. The win marked a significant turnaround for the team, who had struggled to find their footing in recent matches.
Chelsea's Jorginho scored two penalties, including the late one earned by Lukaku, to secure the three points for Thomas Tuchel's side. Villa had taken the lead in the 28th minute, but Chelsea drew level six minutes later and eventually took the lead with Lukaku's goal.
"I needed a performance like this," Lukaku said. "It's been difficult getting on at the end of games. I kept working hard. I'm happy with my performance and have to push on," he added.
Chelsea's victory marked a significant step forward for the team, who remain in the hunt to catch leaders Manchester City. "We are the hunters now. The last results were not the best and now we have to chase. We have to treat every game like a final. Today we won and now we have to push on," Lukaku said.
