Chelsea’s on-loan Brazilian international Alexandre Pato yesterday scored on his debut to help push Aston Villa to the verge of inevitable relegation with a seventh successive English Premier League defeat.
Pato, the former Milan starlet who has been kicking his heels since joining from Corinthians two months ago, came on as a 25th-minute substitute and was immediately involved in the move which led to Ruben Loftus-Cheek netting his first league goal.
On the verge of halftime, Pato — also known as “the Duck” — broke his duck, picking himself up after being fouled in the box by Aly Cissokho to convert from the penalty spot.
Photo: Reuters
Villa, who got rid of manager Remi Garde in the week, were hopeless after the break as Pedro scored twice for Chelsea.
Amid sustained protests against Villa owner Randy Lerner, the home fans’ misery was completed when Alan Hutton was given his marching orders from referee Neil Swarbrick after picking up a second yellow card.
The result provisionally moves Chelsea into ninth in the league table with 44 points, six points off a European place ahead of the rest of the weekend’s games.
Aston Villa remain at the bottom of the league table.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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