Aston Villa vs Chelsea – News and Probable Lineups

Aston Villa is set to host Chelsea at Villa Park on Wednesday evening as part of their ongoing Premier League campaign.

The Villains faced a setback in their last league game, enduring a 2-0 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers, while Chelsea suffered a narrow defeat against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

Match overview

Villa’s difficult streak continued on Friday night, as they fell 2-0 to their nearby rivals Wolves at Molineux, allowing Rob Edwards’s team to secure only their second league victory of the season.

With just one victory from their last five Premier League matches and sitting 13 points behind leaders Arsenal, the Villains’ hopes for the title appear almost extinguished, although there remains much to play for.

Currently embroiled in a fight for a top-five finish, which would likely secure UEFA Champions League qualification for the following season, Unai Emery’s squad is determined to return to winning form and avoid slipping further down the table.

The ideal way to initiate this would certainly be by claiming all three points on Wednesday evening, a result that would be even more gratifying for Villa given that Chelsea is among three teams within a six-point range in the battle for Champions League spots.

After successfully winning the previous encounter at Stamford Bridge, thanks to a second-half double from Ollie Watkins in December, the home side will need no persuading that they can conquer Chelsea once more, aiming for their first league double over the Blues in more than 30 years.

After an impressive start with four consecutive victories as Chelsea’s head coach, Liam Rosenior has recently witnessed his team drop vital points in the Champions League qualifying race.

Chelsea has been unable to secure all three points in their last three matches, with draws at home against Leeds United and Burnley before conceding two goals from set pieces during their 2-1 loss to league leaders Arsenal on Sunday evening.

Having lost three matches during his time at Chelsea, all to the Gunners, Rosenior will surely be relieved that he won’t face Arteta’s side again until at least May, although the schedule ahead remains challenging for the Chelsea manager.

Before the conclusion of the season, Chelsea must still confront teams such as Manchester City, Manchester United, and Liverpool, in addition to facing Champions League champions Paris Saint-Germain in their round of 16 matchup.

With Chelsea currently positioned in sixth place and only six points behind their opponents on Wednesday, a win is essential to prevent trailing further behind their nearest rivals.

Team News

Boubacar Kamara will miss the rest of the season due to a knee injury, and Youri Tielemans remains a significant absence in midfield for Villa, which appears to keep him out of Wednesday’s match.

The same applies to Harvey Elliott, who hasn’t featured for the club in over a month, while Andres Garcia’s recent setback is expected to keep him sidelined for another six weeks.

It is still uncertain whether Villains captain John McGinn will return to the squad, having been out for six weeks due to a knee injury.

Chelsea will welcome back Wesley Fofana from suspension, but they will be without Pedro Neto for their trip to Villa Park after the Portuguese winger received a red card against Arsenal on Sunday.

Estevao and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens remain unavailable due to thigh injuries, although both are anticipated to be back on the pitch within the next two weeks.

Dario Essugo is also approaching a return from an injury sustained in January, while Marc Cucurella will undergo a late fitness test to determine his eligibility for Wednesday’s fixture.

While his long-term recovery is progressing positively, Levi Colwill has undoubtedly left a significant gap in the Chelsea defence this season and is likely to miss the remainder of the campaign.

Aston Villa probable starting XI:

Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen; Luiz, Onana; Buendia, Rogers, Sancho; Abraham

Chelsea probable starting XI:

Sanchez; James, Chalobah, Fofana, Hato; Caicedo, Santos; Palmer, Fernandez, Garnacho; Pedro

Emery’s squad has a history of delivering strong performances against the top teams at Villa Park, yet their recent form is certainly cause for concern, particularly considering the strength of the opponents they have faced.

On the other hand, the Blues have not been flawless; however, Rosenior’s early days have generally been positive, gathering 14 points from his first seven league matches in charge.

Given that neither team has impressed in their last few outings, it seems likely that the points will be split on Wednesday night, a result that would not be ideal for either club.