Jose Mourinho had never won at Villa Park heading into the fixture and Delph's well-taken goal after the break extended the Portuguese coach's misery in the Midlands.
To add insult to injury, Willian was sent off for a second bookable offence just minutes before the winning goal, while Mourinho would have been further incensed when Ramires saw red deep into injury time.
And the Chelsea boss then made matters worse for himself as he, too, was sent to the stands right at the death. There could have been a different outcome, meanwhile, had Nemanja Matic's effort on the stroke of half-time not been ruled out for handball.
To add insult to injury, Willian was sent off for a second bookable offence just minutes before the winning goal, while Mourinho would have been further incensed when Ramires saw red deep into injury time.
And the Chelsea boss then made matters worse for himself as he, too, was sent to the stands right at the death. There could have been a different outcome, meanwhile, had Nemanja Matic's effort on the stroke of half-time not been ruled out for handball.
Chelsea did not just lose the match at Villa Park on Saturday; their composure was utterly undone. That sense of being wholly in control of the title race, of slowly reeling in all rivals, was dispelled in an emotionally disorientating 25-minute spell.
Finishing with nine men and with their manager sent to the stands, Chelsea were exposed. They left Villa Park harbouring a sense of injustice, clearly distraught by a disallowed ‘goal’ and at least one contentious sending-off, even if the second red card was indisputable.
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