Chelsea vs Aston Villa predicted lineups and team news | OneFootball

Aston Villa have emerged as surprise Premier League title contenders following seven straight successes and Chelsea, one place behind the Villans in fourth, should be fully focused on snapping the visitors’ hot streak at Stamford Bridge.

Saturday evening’s clash, which is live on Sky Sports Main Event with a 5.30pm kick-off, features two of the Premier League’s sharpest frontlines and it could be a Christmas cracker in the capital.

While Villa are targeting an 11th consecutive win in all competitions, Chelsea have been blowing hot and cold and their only win in their last five Premier League matches came in a routine 2-0 victory over Everton at Stamford Bridge.

However, Enzo Maresca’s men showed plenty of character in Saturday’s trip to Newcastle, coming from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw, and they will be looking to build on that against the Premier League’s form team.

Chelsea predicted lineup vs Aston Villa

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Chelsea team news vs Aston Villa

Levi Colwill, Dario Essugo and Romeo Lavia are long-term absentees for Chelsea while striker Liam Delap is set for another extended spell on the sidelines after suffering a shoulder injury against Bournemouth earlier in December.

Brazilian talent Estevao has been forced to miss Chelsea’s last two matches due to a small muscle problem and he is in a race against time to be fit for this showdown with Villa.

However, having talisman Cole Palmer back to full fitness is a big lift for Maresca and it would be a surprise was Enzo Fernandez not to return to the starting line-up having been a substitute in the 2-2 draw with Newcastle.

Fernandez’s return alongside Moises Caicedo in midfield should see captain Reece James return to right-back in place of Malo Gusto, while Trevoh Chalobah and Wesley Fofana have been Maresca’s centre-back partnership of choice.

Injury to Liam Delap leaves Joao Pedro as the man entrusted to lead the line, while Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho could be on the wings with Palmer pulling the strings in the number 10 role.

Chelsea keen to arrest slump against in-form Villa

It has become increasingly difficult to predict Chelsea’s results as their only two wins in their last seven matches in all competitions have come against League One outfit Cardiff in the EFL Cup quarter-final and Everton in a home Premier League fixture.

Three of the Blues’s last five Premier League matches have ended in draws – against Arsenal, Bournemouth and Newcastle – while they have also suffered a 3-1 defeat at Leeds in that run.

Given Villa’s remarkable run of ten straight victories, Maresca will know his team will have to bring their A-game and just two wins in their last seven matches with these opponents echoes that point.

Chelsea’s recent 2-2 draw at Newcastle was very much a tale of two halves and it highlighted Maresca’s tenure in a nutshell. Defensively naive, wildly inconsistent and lacking discipline, yet capable of flashes of brilliance and this is a young side that are expected to improve as the season progresses.