Chealsea vs Aston Villa: Premier League Preview and Predictions

Chelsea and Aston Villa, who had adventures in Europe earlier in the week, will meet at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon for a Premier League encounter.

The Blues required a strenuous effort to get all three points in Thursday night’s Conference League match against Heidenheim, only two days after the Villans split the Champions League spoils with Juventus of Italy in the Second City.

Previous Matches and Head-to-head

After losing 2-0 to Newcastle United in the EFL Cup quarterfinals on 30 October, Chelsea were winless in November, a promising month that ended with a two-goal triumph at the home of Bundesliga team Heidenheim in Thursday night’s Conference League match.

The Blues kept their perfect record in the League Phase of UEFA’s third-tier club tournament after a scoreless first half thanks to goals from Christopher Nkunku and Mykhaylo Mudryk. This means that the West Londoners will be sure to proceed to the playoff round in February.

Back to the Premier League, where Enzo Maresca’s team won last weekend at the King Power Stadium against Leicester City—a club he had previously worked for—Chelsea will aim to make it two victories in a row after the year-end international break.

Nicolas Jackson, who calmly finished the game against Leicester, now has seven goals for Chelsea this season, tying him for first place in the Premier League with England hero Cole Palmer. Only Noni Madueke (4) has scored more than once for the Blues this season.

There is obvious room for improvement for Maresca’s squad if they want to close the nine-point gap to league leaders Liverpool, as they have only managed to collect nine of their 22 Premier League points away from Stamford Bridge this season. No team in the division has managed a lower ratio of points earned at their home base than Chelsea.

The booing heard in the Second City after Tuesday night’s match with Juventus was not unexpected, given that Aston Villa had been on a seven-game losing streak across all competitions since their 2-0 Champions League victory over tournament newcomers Bologna on 22 October.

Unai Emery’s squad currently sits outside the top eight slots on the continent, and the decision to disallow Morgan Rogers’s goal in the last stages of the match for a foul in the build-up was a significant source of aggravation for the Villa fans.

Despite playing three games in the Premier League in November, Villa managed only one point. Tottenham Hotspur thrashed them, lost at Liverpool, and were finally forced to settle the top-flight points with a tenacious Crystal Palace team last Saturday.

The Eagles, who are in danger of relegation, were unable to get a point in their encounter against the Villans until goals from Ollie Watkins and Ross Barkley offset attempts from Ismaila Sarr and academy graduate Justin Devenny.

Expectations will be high for Villa as they seek to snap a four-game Premier League losing streak at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Unai Emery’s squad has won two and drawn one of their past three matches in this fixture.

Chelsea x Aston Villa Team News

On Sunday, the hosts will welcome talisman Palmer and midfielder Romeo Lavia, who were missing from Chelsea’s Conference League roster.

Both Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo were absent due to injury but are set to start in midfield this weekend after seeing the Blues’ win against Heidenheim.

Reece James, a former England international who is now nursing a hamstring injury, will likely be out for a few weeks as he regains his fitness.

While Pedro Neto is nursing a knock he sustained while serving with Portugal, Malo Gusto has been out since the international break ended, and the Blues have yet to see him play.

After seeing action off the bench in Tuesday’s match against Juve, Pau Torres and Ezri Konsa will likely start up front for Aston Villa again.

Because of this, if Emery opts to keep Matty Cash at right back for the visitors, Diego Carlos might be the one to leave.

John Duran, a Colombian phenomenon known for his goal-scoring antics off the bench, is vying for a starting role, displacing top marksman Watkins.

Our predictions

Chelsea to win @ 1.70 on Sky247.ng

Taking advantage of Thursday night’s Conference League match, Chelsea should have their starting lineup fully healthy and prepared to take on an Aston Villa team that is currently struggling at Stamford Bridge.

We expect the away team to win in West London, but the Villans’ losing run might drag them down the Premier League rankings if it continues.

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