Cole Palmer is available for Chelsea in today’s clash at Aston Villa 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.
Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz is available again after serving a two-match ban. Five players are still sidelined while Italian winger Nicolo Zaniolo, who has had a muscle injury, will be assessed.
Villa are aiming for a third consecutive league win over Chelsea.
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’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. They have never lost a Saturday night game (7pm or later) in the Premier League, with three wins and a draw.
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.
On their part, 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 named seven starting XIs with an average age under 24 this season – only Leeds United, in 1999-2000, have named more in a single campaign.
Chelsea have won just one of their last eight Premier League games outside of London (D2, L5) – that was at Luton in December. Raheem Sterling has not scored in any of his five Premier League appearances at Villa Park.
Culled from BBCSports.
