Chelsea were unable to find the response needed from the Boxing Day defeat at Arsenal as an Anwar El Ghazi strike ensured Aston Villa left Stamford Bridge with a point on Monday.
Frank Lampard wrung the changes from that defeat at the Emirates Stadium with six changes for the visit of Dean Smith's side.
And one of those changes proved rewarding as Olivier Giroud netted with a great diving header to put the Blues ahead at the break. However, Villa responded strongly in the second as El Ghazi struck with a sweet volley beyond Edouard Mendy.
The Blues went close to netting a last-gasp winner as Ben Chilwell's sweet volley whistled wide but Villa held on to clinch a deserved point.