LIAM DELAP’S barnstorming display helped Ipswich register their first Premier League home win in 22 years with a memorable 2-0 victory over Chelsea to further damage their faint title prospects.

Delap had been tipped for an England debut by former Manchester City U23s boss Enzo Maresca ahead of this fixture and proceeded to haunt his ex-boss during a historic occasion at a buoyant Portman Road.

It was Town’s leading scorer Delap who won an early contentious spot-kick, which he fired past Filip Jorgensen in the 12th minute after Chelsea’s backup goalkeeper had been penalised for minimal contact.

The goal gave Kieran McKenna’s team a crucial lead to hold on to and, after Joao Felix had an effort ruled out for offside for the visitors in the 24th minute, the hosts doubled their lead straight after half-time.

Omari Hutchinson made the most of an Axel Disasi error to ensure Ipswich won at home in the top-flight at the 10th time of asking this season — and for the first time since 2002 — to make it three games without a win for Chelsea.

Blues boss Maresca shuffled his pack after a shock St Stephen’s Day loss at home to Fulham, with Noni Madueke recalled and Jorgensen given a rare league outing in goal.

Chelsea had beaten the other newly promoted teams during a recent eight-match winning streak, but Delap highlighted the task at hand by knocking both centre-backs to the floor inside two minutes.

It added to an already raucous atmosphere and, not long after Nathan Broadhead was denied, the hosts took the lead through Delap’s penalty.

The marauding Delap raced onto Leif Davis’ inch-perfect pass and although his momentum meant he started to go down after he got a touch ahead of Jorgensen, the faintest of kicks by Chelsea’s goalkeeper meant referee John Brooks awarded the spot-kick.

Delap drilled into the bottom corner for his seventh goal of the campaign, but the shell-shocked visitors did eventually regroup.

Cole Palmer — the talisman of Chelsea’s young team — almost levelled, but his free-kick from 22 yards smacked against the post and Christopher Nkunku’s follow-up was gratefully claimed by Christian Walton.

Walton had been recalled for only his second league appearance this season and had to pick the ball out of his net after 24 minutes before a lengthy VAR check disallowed Felix’s effort.

Palmer had been the creator with a superb left-footed cross, which Felix smashed into the roof of the net, but he had strayed offside and that decision was greeted with glee from the home faithful.

Chelsea had started to turn the screw, with pantomime villain Marc Cucurella blazing off target before Moises Caicedo followed suit after a poor pass by Ipswich defender Davis.

A slick breakaway by Ipswich almost produced a second for Delap but Jorgensen pulled off a smart near-post save before that was bettered by Walton in first-half stoppage-time.

Palmer’s superb 20-yard curler looked destined for the top corner after Felix’s lay-off only for Walton to brilliantly parry onto the crossbar and over to ensure it remained 1-0.

The second half continued similarly with a Felix header cleared off the line by Wes Burns before Walton thwarted Madueke’s low effort.

Ipswich continued to be pinned back, but received an almighty gift from Disasi in the 53rd minute and Hutchinson gratefully made the most of it.

Disasi carelessly passed straight to Delap by the halfway line and he ran at Levi Colwill before passing back to Hutchinson, who worked a yard of space and drilled into the bottom corner for a special goal against a club which released him twice as a youth product.

Maresca reacted immediately with Nicolas Jackson sent on before Jadon Sancho quickly followed, but all Chelsea managed in between was a wayward Disasi strike.

Pedro Neto was introduced next for the frustrated visitors but Ipswich stood firm to finish a memorable 2024 with an eagerly-awaited first top-flight victory of the season.

Elsewhere, Aston Villa ended a hugely successful 2024 with a disappointing 2-2 draw against Brighton as they failed to close the gap on the Premier League’s top four.

Villa started the year by reaching a Europa Conference League semi-final and qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in their history.

But their ambitions of finishing in the top four again look to be hamstrung by inconsistency which has produced results like this.

Ollie Watkins looked to be Villa’s hero as he celebrated his birthday in style with a goal and an assist to put his side 2-1 up after Simon Adingra’s early opener for Brighton.

But Unai Emery’s men could not see it out and succumbed to an 81st-minute leveller by Tariq Lamptey.

The draw sees both sides on the periphery of the European places, with Brighton’s winless run continuing to seven games.