CHELSEA v Aston Villa: Preview

Date: Saturday twenty seventh December 2025

Venue: Stamford Bridge

Kick-off: 17:30 GMT

It’s time for our annual festive stress take a look at
as we welcome Aston Villa to Stamford Bridge – and by “welcome,” we
in fact imply we hope they neglect the place the away dressing room is.

Villa, annoyingly, are tearing up the league
with ten straight wins – we’re clinging to fourth prefer it’s the final mulled
wine on the Christmas celebration, desperately hoping somebody spills theirs earlier than we
do. In the meantime, Chelsea, beneath Maresca, proceed to be as constant because the
British summer season: you’re by no means fairly positive what you’re going to get – a sunny
show of brilliance, or a torrential downpour of confusion.

Our type’s been about as regular as a turkey
on curler skates: only one win in our final 4, and whereas we did present a little bit of
spine to nick a degree off Newcastle, the one factor lacking from our abject
show within the first half had been the pipe and slippers. If we do this towards
Villa, the sport might be properly over by half-time, no second probabilities. Morgan
Rogers has been operating rings round everybody recently – so until we’ve issued
the group with industrial-strength Velcro fits, he may very well be slipping previous us
faster than a January switch hearsay.

Villa actually gained’t be trembling on the considered taking part in on the Bridge; in actual fact, with two wins out of their final three visits, they’ll in all probability swagger in like they’re house-hunting in SW6. Time for Chelsea to remind them whose home it truly is – or on the very least, to recollect the place the purpose is.

MANAGER’S VIEWS

Going into as we speak’s sport, Enzo Maresca says “It
might be a really powerful sport for us and we should be at our greatest as a result of
Aston Villa are taking part in very properly. They’ve a transparent approach of taking part in and so they
are very organised each on and off the ball. They’re stuffed with confidence in
this second, however we’re at dwelling and we might be attempting to get the three factors
as we at all times do. We’ll work exhausting and proceed to develop.”

Aston Villa supervisor, Unai Emery, in the meantime says
“We respect rather a lot the difficulties of the Premier League and of taking part in
towards Chelsea. They’re favourites to be within the prime 4 and favourites to
battle for the Premier League trophy as a result of they’ve excellent gamers, a really
good coach and they’re getting higher. They’re the champions of the Membership World
Cup, and it means rather a lot. Now they’re behind us, however they’re feeling sturdy and
taking part in with confidence. They’re competing very properly towards the higher groups. They
beat Liverpool at dwelling, they competed fantastically towards Arsenal, drawing,
and so they beat Barcelona as properly within the Champions League, and the final match at
dwelling towards Everton.

They’re feeling sturdy at dwelling. How we’re
feeling now is essential with our momentum. Tomorrow is a really enormous take a look at
for us. It’s an enormous take a look at at Chelsea, an enormous take a look at away, an enormous take a look at of how we
are going to reply away towards one group like Chelsea. We’re very motivated
and enthusiastic about how we’re going to face them tomorrow. We’re focussing this
match strongly to attempt to get our greatest.”

SQUAD NEWS

For Chelsea, For Chelsea, Levi Colwill (knee), and Romeo Lavia, Dario Essugo (each thigh) stay out injured. Mykhaylo Mudryk continues to be suspended. Estevao Willian (muscle) and Liam Delap (shoulder) have been cleared to play.

For Aston Villa, Ross Barkley (knee), Tyrone
Mings (hamstring) and Pau Torres (calf) are out injured, while Harvey Elliott
is ailing.

TEAMS

CHELSEA (Doable line-up): Sanchez; James, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Neto, Palmer, Garnacho; João Pedro

ASTON VILLA (Doable
line-up): Martinez; Money, Konsa, Lindelof, Maatsen; Kamara, Onana; McGinn,
Tielemans, Rogers; Watkins

LAST SEASON

Chelsea 3-0 Aston Villa (1st December 2024)

CURRENT FORM (PL)

CHELSEA: WDLDWD

ASTON VILLA: WWWWWW

OTHER STUFF

Chelsea have misplaced two of their final three
Premier League dwelling video games towards Aston VillaAston Villa have gained three of their 5
Premier League video games towards Chelsea beneath Unai EmeryChelsea gained this fixture final December Chelsea have failed to attain in two of their
final three at Stamford Bridge towards Aston VillaAston Villa have gained every of their final 10
matches in all competitions

PREDICTION

Sportsmole: Chelsea 2-2 Aston Villa