Chelsea will be returning to Premier League action this evening at Aston Villa after more than three months of coronavirus-enforced break.
The Blues will be visiting Villa Park with the hope of cementing the last Champions League qualifying spot which they are currently occupying.
Aston Villa was lucky not to end on the losing side against Sheffield United in the outstanding match played on Wednesday, all that’s to the hawkeye technology that failed to read the ball that crossed the line. They could be hoping to get at least another draw to boost their relegation fight.
Although the hosts have a strong scoring record on their turf, the Blues have been prolific on the road. So there is a likelihood of seeing goals at both ends.
With Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspurs, Chelsea will need the maximum points to secure the fourth place with Wolves also pushing for it after defeating West Ha at the Olympic Stadium yesterday.
Currently occupying second-bottom of the log presently, a win will lift the Birmingham outfit out of the relegation zone.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea Team News
Jorginho will be out of action due to suspension after picking up his 10th yellow card of the season before the campaign was halted, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek will return to action after been out for a year with an Achilles injury.
Villa will be without Tom Heaton and Wesley, who are long term absentees. Others are Danny Drinkwater, who will also unavailable against his parent club and Bjorn Engels.
The goaless affair halted a run of five consecutive league defeats for Den Smith’s side. This was also the first time Aston Villa had failed to score in 11 league matches at Villa Park. The game was also Villa’s fifth clean sheet of the season and their games in the top-flight this term have provided goals.
On their part, Chelsea is the present second best scoring record on the road in the league, netting 29 times in 14 matches. But the Stamford Bridge team has its own defensive headache after conceeding 24 goals away from home and kept just one clean sheet.
Aston Villa XI:Oerjan Haaskjold Nyland, Ezri Konsa, Matt Targett, Kortney Hause, Tyrone Mings, Douglas Luiz, Conor Hourihane, John McGinn, Jack Grealish, Keinan Davis
Chelsea XI: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Cesar Azpilicueta, Antonio Ruediger, Marcos Alonso, Andreas Christensen, N’Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mateo Kovacic, Willian, Olivier Giroud, Mason Mount
