A 10-match unbeaten league run had put Villa on course to challenge for a place in next year's Champions League but they turned in a woeful performance against Carlo Ancelotti's side, who now sit one point behind Manchester United in the title race. Wigan refunded the costs of all their fans who travelled to watch the Latics' 9-1 humbling at Tottenham in November, and some Villa fans have called on their club's hierarchy to do the same after Saturday's embarrassing defeat. Villa captain Petrov, who hobbled off halfway through the second half, said he sympathised with the 2,300 fans who made the long trip to the capital, but promised that his side will perform much better when they face Chelsea again in the FA Cup semi-final on Saturday week. "We feel sorry for the travelling fans because they have been magnificent for us and what they saw wasn't pleasant," Petrov told Villa's official website. "We've got a semi-final to look forward to and we need to play them and I think we'll be a lot different in the semi-final." John Carew was the player to get on the scoresheet for Villa as the Blues romped home thanks to four goals from Frank Lampard, one from Salomon Kalou and a brace from Florent Malouda. The result puts the midlands side seven points and three places behind Tottenham in the race for fourth. Petrov says it will take time to get over the defeat and admits he was surprised at the way that Villa wilted in the face of Chelsea's power at Stamford Bridge. "It is going to be a very long week but we will try and forget it as quickly as we can," said the 30-year-old. "Results like that are not the best and we want to get it out of the way as quickly as we can and concentrate on the next game. "We didn't show any spirit which is very surprising. We always battle but we lost our heart which is not like us. "That is why we will try and pull things together because we've had a good season so far and we won't let that one result ruin it for us."
