CHELSEA proved they do have a backbone as they clawed their way back from two goals down to keep their European hopes alive.

They could even have won it at a push – and thought they had – until VAR spotted Benoit Badiashile’s shove on Diego Carlos just before he crossed for sub Axel Disasi to head home.

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Chris Kavanagh spotted the infringement and invited ref Craig Pawson to look at the pitchside monitor.

And amid dramatic scenes it was Aston Villa fans’ turn to cheer as Chelsea’s late strike was controversially chalked off.

The Villans will feel as if they Blue it as they allowed Mauricio Pochettino’s boys back off the canvas after storming into a two goal lead by half-time.

An early Marc Cucurella own goal and a Morgan Rogers strike just before the break appeared to have Chelsea on the ropes.

But unlike last week when they collapsed and crumbled against Arsenal, this time Poch’s battlers gritted their teeth and came out fighting.

Noni Madueke pulled one back just beyond the hour and captain Conor Gallagher swept a wonderful drive beyond sub goalie Robin Olsen with nine minutes remaining.

Chelsea might even have won it four minutes into injury time when Cole Palmer crashed through Villa’s defence only for his shot to be deflected wide by Olsen’s legs.

Villa may go on to make it to the Champions League after opening up a seven-point gap over Spurs, who have three games in hand.

But Chelsea showed enough here to suggest they will be a force next season.

In a mad finale Villa might even have snatched all three points but Jhon Duran’s header ripped the roof of the net.

Pochettino and his players came in for scathing criticism following that dismal 5-0 defeat by Arsenal.

Meanwhile Unai Emery’s decision to commit himself to the club for a further year, until 2027, was the latest positive news to maintain the feelgood factor around Villa Park.

Rarely can Villa fans have turned up so confident of beating a Chelsea side, who had won on seven of their last nine Premier League visits to B6.

“We must stay humble and hungry,” said Unai Emery in his programme notes.

Hungry? Villa were ravenous as they ripped into Chelsea from the start.

It took them just four minutes to seize the lead.

Pau Torres surged forward and timed his pass to perfection as he set Lucas Digne down the left.

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The French full-back drilled in a wicked low cross, John McGinn stabbed the ball goalward and it flew into the net off Cucurella’s shin to leave Djordje Petrovic helpless.

It was the kind of breakneck start Villa fans have grown used to this season.

And it was the last thing Poch needed, hard on the heels of the Arsenal drubbing.

Villa almost added a rapid second while Chelsea were still reeling.

Digne combined with Rogers and lashed a half-volley which ripped into the side net.

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Then Watkins nicked the ball off Thiago Silva’s toes, combined with McGinn and drilled in a low shot which Petrovic safely gathered.

But to their credit Chelsea recovered their composure and they carved Villa open after 16 minutes.

As Villa’s high defensive line advanced, Caicedo chipped the ball over Konsa and Torres and Nicolas Jackson shrugged off Matty Cash to loft the ball over Martinez to find the top corner.

Initially it looked as if Cash may just have played Jackson onside.

But once VAR Chris Kavanagh drew in his lines Chelsea’s joy was cut short as it turned out Villa’s well-oiled offside trap had worked to perfection again.

Undeterred Chelsea, with Caicedo pulling the strings in midfield, continued to swarm forward.

Mykhailo Mudryk cut inside Cash and flashed a shot over, then Caicedo fired a long-ranger straight at Martinez.

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Villa suffered a blow when Youri Tielemans went down clutching his left groin and was replaced by Moussa Diaby, with McGinn dropping into a deeper midfield role.

While Emery’s players were still sorting themselves out Chelsea almost cashed in.

Caicedo sent Cucurella clear on the left and when the full-back’s cross came in, Jackson headed off the base of the post, with Martinez beaten.

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Villa were being penned in but Rogers dragged them up the park when he broke forward and released Watkins, whose angled shot was beaten out by Petrovic.

But the Villa midfielder’s next contribution rocked Chelsea as he fired Villa into a two-goal lead just before half-time.

Cash collected a loose ball and swept it wide to Rogers.

The 21-year-old chopped inside onto his right foot and fired in a shot which flew between Trevoh Chalobah’s outstretched leg and nestled in the corner of the net behind Petrovic.

It was the bargain £8million buy from Middlesbrough’s third home goal in a row and it was a harsh lesson in clinical finishing for Chelsea.

Villa’s night took a turn for the worse when Martinez failed to come out for the second half and his place was taken by Sweden international Olsen.

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Perhaps that encouraged Poch’s men who looked a different team after the break.

They came out fighting – literally – and Caicedo and Douglas Luiz were both booked following an angry tussle.

Then Madueke rifled a shot wide before Silva had a header cleared off the line by Cash’s chest.

Chelsea were rampant and pulled a goal back just after the hour.

Luiz was robbed off possession, Gallagher charged into the box and was sent crashing by McGinn.

But before referee Pawson could think about a penalty Maduake swept the ball low past Olsen.

Game on!

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Rogers was booked for sending Madueke sprawling as he surged forward and Palmer drilled the free kick wide.

Bailey was booked for trampling on Caicedo’s foot before Petrovic beat out Bailey’s shot and Watkins just failed to cash in.

Chelsea were in the ascendancy though and it was no surprise when they clawed themselves level with nine minutes remaining.

Madueke fed Gallagher and, as the Villa defence stood off him, the Chelsea captain curled a sensational shot high beyond Olsen.

But the drama was really only just beginning!