High-Flying Villa Aim for Double Against Beleaguered Chelsea
Aston Villa host Chelsea at Villa Park in a Premier League clash with contrasting emotions swirling around both teams.
Aston Villa Soaring Under Emery
Aston Villa are on a high after a come-from-behind victory over Bournemouth followed by the news of manager Unai Emery’s contract extension. They are pushing for a top-four finish and will be looking to open up a significant gap between themselves and Tottenham.
At home, Villa are a force to be reckoned with, boasting an unbeaten run of five matches with a staggering 14 goals scored. They’ll be aiming for the first double over Chelsea in the Premier League era since 1989/90.
Chelsea in Crisis After Humiliating Defeat
Chelsea enter the match in a state of disarray. Following their FA Cup exit, they were thrashed 5-0 by Arsenal in midweek, their worst-ever defeat in a Premier League London derby.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino heavily criticized his team’s performance, calling them “soft” and accusing them of “giving up.”
The Blues’ defense has been a major concern this season. They’ve conceded 57 goals – their most ever in a single Premier League campaign – and haven’t kept a clean sheet on the road in 13 consecutive league games. However, Chelsea have a decent record at Villa Park, winning six of their last seven visits, including an FA Cup victory in February.
Doubtful
- Aston Villa: Emiliano Buendia (Knee Injury) Boubacar Kamara (Knee Injury) Tyrone Mings (Knee Injury) Alex Moreno (Calf Injury) Jacob Ramsey (Foot Injury) Nicolo Zanilo (Muscle Injury)
- Chelsea: Levi Colwill (Injury) Wesley Fofana (Knee Injury) Malo Gusto (Knee Injury) Reece James (Thigh Injury) Romeo Lavia (Injury) Christopher Nkunku (Injury) Robert Sanchez (Illness) Lesley Ugochukwu (Thigh Injury) Ben Chilwell (Knee Injury)
Players to Watch
- Aston Villa: Leon Bailey has been quietly impressive, contributing to four goals in his last four games (2 goals, 2 assists).
- Chelsea: Nicolas Jackson needs an early goal to boost his confidence. All of his last five goals have come before halftime, including one on his last visit to Villa Park.
Hot Stat
Aston Villa have conceded a league-high 66% of their goals (33 out of 50) in the second half of matches. Interestingly, 65% of Chelsea’s goals conceded have also come in the second half.
