Both Aston Villa and Chelsea have struggled to secure victories in the Premier League recently. However, they will aim to revive their hopes of finishing in the top four when they clash at Villa Park on Saturday evening.
Aston Villa, who are still competing in the Champions League this season, have fallen behind in the race for a spot in Europe's elite competition next season due to a five-game winless streak in the Premier League.
Chelsea, on the other hand, have managed to win two out of their last four league matches, but these victories were achieved at home. They have not secured a win on the road in the Premier League since early December.
Team news
Axel Disasi will be unavailable for Villa in this match as he cannot play against his parent club while on loan. This absence puts more emphasis on the return of Ezri Konsa from a recent injury.
Leon Bailey may make a comeback for Villa after recovering from a knock, but Boubacar Kamara, Pau Torres, Ross Barkley, and Amadou Onana remain sidelined due to various injuries.
Chelsea's injury concerns have increased following Noni Madueke's hamstring injury in the previous game against Brighton. However, Malo Gusto, who also had to leave the same match due to injury, is expected to be fit for this fixture.
Romeo Lavia is dealing with a muscle issue, while Nicolas Jackson, Marc Guiu, Wesley Fofana, and Benoit Badiashile are all recovering from hamstring injuries and will not be available for selection.
The stats
Aston Villa has not won any of their last five Premier League matches (D4, L1), but they have not lost in their last 13 top-flight games at Villa Park, with their last defeat at home being against Arsenal in August.
Chelsea has gone without a win in their previous six away matches in all competitions. They are coming into this game on the back of consecutive defeats to Brighton, one in the league and one in the FA Cup.
In their last four encounters, Chelsea has been unbeaten against Villa and secured a 3-0 victory in their last meeting at Stamford Bridge in December, with goals from Nicolas Jackson, Enzo Fernandez, and Cole Palmer.
Villa has only won two of their last 11 home games against Chelsea in the Premier League, with their most recent victory coming in May 2021, just days before Chelsea won the Champions League final against Manchester City.
Prediction
With both teams struggling to secure wins in the Premier League, predicting a winner for Saturday's game is challenging.
However, one aspect that seems likely is goals, as Villa has seen both teams score in each of their last nine home games across all competitions, including their recent 2-2 draw with league leaders Liverpool.
Villa's attacking options have been bolstered with the signings of Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio, and Donyell Malen in January, which could trouble Chelsea's defense. Chelsea, who have kept only one clean sheet in their last 10 matches against League Two side Morecambe in the FA Cup, also have defensive vulnerabilities.
Considering Villa's defensive struggles and injury concerns in their backline, it is anticipated that there will be goals in this match. The previous two meetings at Villa Park between these teams have produced four goals each time, indicating a potentially entertaining clash on Saturday night in the West Midlands.