The Premier League matches for Saturday will wrap up as Aston Villa and Chelsea lock horns at the Villa Park by 20:00 pm.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side have had two losses in their last two games in the hands of Manchester City and Arsenal in FA semis and EPL matches respectively.
The Blues will have to restrategise to beat high-flying Aston Villa who sit in fourth place with the hopes to play European football next season.
Team news
Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz is available again after serving a two-match ban, and Unai Emery’s squad is unchanged, with six players out, including Nicolo Zaniolo and Alex Moreno.
Cole Palmer is available for Chelsea after recovering from illness but Enzo Fernandez will miss the remainder of the season following groin surgery.
Raheem Sterling and Carney Chukwuemeka are doubts, with up to 12 Chelsea players potentially unavailable.
Match facts
Head-to-head
Villa are aiming for a third consecutive league win over Chelsea.
Chelsea won seven of their last nine Premier League visits to Villa Park, losing the other two.
The teams have already met three times in 2023-24, with Villa winning in the league and Chelsea winning in the FA Cup after a replay.
The away side has won the last four league meetings, with the home team failing to score in the past three.
Villa are looking to complete a first league double over Chelsea since 1989-90.
Aston Villa
Aston Villa’s only defeat in their last six league matches came at Manchester City (W3, D2).
They are unbeaten in five home games in all competitions, with four wins and a draw.
Villa could register 21 top-flight wins in a season for the first time since 1992-93.
The Villans are one goal short of equalling their most in a top-flight season, set in their title-winning campaign in 1980-81.
Ollie Watkins has scored in his last two Premier League games against Chelsea. He needs one top-flight goal to become the first Villa player to reach 20 in a season since Peter Withe in 1980-81.
Morgan Rogers has scored two goals and provided an assist in his last four Premier League appearances.
Chelsea
Chelsea’s eight-game unbeaten run came to an end with a 5-0 defeat at Arsenal last Tuesday.
The Blues’ last seven league fixtures have produced an average of five goals per game.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side have already conceded a club record 57 goals in the Premier League this season.
They have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 13 Premier League away games.
Chelsea have won just one of their last eight Premier League games outside of London (D2, L5) – that was at Luton in December.
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Raheem Sterling has not scored in any of his five Premier League appearances at Villa Park.
Predicted lineups
Aston Villa (predicted lineup): Emiliano Martinez, Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, Lucas Digne, Leon Bailey, John McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, Ollie Watkins.
Chelsea (predicted lineup): Djordje Petrovic, Axel Disasi, Trevoh Chalobah, Thiago Silva, Marc Cucurella, Conor Gallagher, Moises Caicedo, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer, Mykhaylo Mudryk, Nicolas Jackson.
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