[andy villa]

Aston Villa revived their European hopes and put a major question mark against Chelsea's efforts to obtain automatic qualification for the Champions League with a thrilling 3-2 victory at Villa Park.

Claudio Ranieri opted to make eight changes from the side held to a goalless draw by Middlesbrough and there was a disjointed look about Chelsea's performance.

Now they have opened the door to Manchester United in the battle for the second guaranteed Champions League spot with the Red Devils six points adrift but with two games in hand - and Chelsea still having to visit Old Trafford.

Chelsea, looking to avenge a Carling Cup quarter-final defeat at the hands of Villa, looked the sharper side in the early stages and went ahead with the first clear-cut opening of the game after 12 minutes via Hernan Crespo's 10th goal of the campaign.

Adrian Mutu sent a near-post header crashing against the post from a Wayne Bridge cross and Crespo was the first to react to the rebound and had an easy tap-in.

Crespo could have doubled Chelsea's lead a minute later as he met a cross from Geremi, but sent his header just past the post.

John Terry had to be alert to cut out a low centre from the impressive Gareth Barry. A corner from Lee Hendrie rebounded towards his own goal off Robert Huth but Villa skipper Olof Mellberg inadvertently blocked the ball before the danger was cleared.

Villa were handed an unexpected lifeline courtesy of a needlessly-conceded penalty by Mario Melchiot after 37 minutes. Barry went up to contest the ball on the left side of the Chelsea box and was pushed to the ground by Melchiot.

Up stepped Darius Vassell to drill the spot-kick past Marco Ambrosio for his 10th goal of the campaign.

A glaring miss by Peter Crouch within 60 seconds of the restart prevented Villa from going in front.

Vassell's persistence won him the ball off John Terry after he chased a long pass from Barry and he was left with a clear run at goal. Ambrosio did well to parry the shot from the England striker but Crouch had the goal at his mercy from the rebound only to shoot wide from seven yards out.

But in the 50th minute the Holte End erupted as Thomas Hitzlsperger fired Villa into the lead with his fifth goal of the campaign. Vassell played the ball into the path of the German Under-21 captain and his left-footed drive from 20 yards flew past Ambrosio into the corner of the net.

Then before the cheers had died down Hendrie made it 3-1. A throw-in from Jlloyd Samuel was flicked on by Crouch at the near post and Hendrie reacted the quickest to volley home from close range.

Chelsea tried to rally and Thomas Sorensen saved bravely at the feet of substitute William Gallas.

Crespo scored a stunning second goal in the third minute of injury time from the edge of the Villa area but it was too little, too late.