Chelsea v Aston Villa: predicted line-up, team news and match preview
Aston Villa will be eager to show exactly what they’re capable of when they take on Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday evening.
Villa visit Stamford Bridge in the teatime kick-off and should be motivated by the tantalising prospect of strengthening their grip on third place in the Premier League.
Unai Emery is targeting a return to Champions League football and Villa’s objective, unmoved now as it was after a poor start to the season, is to achieve that. Fixtures against the teams around them are now vitally important.
Chelsea are strong but are there to be beaten
Villa have been incredibly successful at home in 2025. Tempting though it would be to leave Stamford Bridge on Saturday satisfied with an away draw against a team of Chelsea’s quality, they aren’t immune to slipping up at home.
Chelsea are unbeaten at home in the Champions League this season but have twice been defeated at Stamford Bridge in Premier League fixtures.
Brighton & Hove Albion and Sunderland have both won at Chelsea in the league this season, while Arsenal and Crystal Palace have picked up draws at Stamford Bridge.
Villa are certainly capable of winning Saturday’s game but there’s no doubt whatsoever that it’s a step up from the last two fixtures in terms of its degree of difficulty.
Chelsea are undefeated in their last three league matches. Their last Premier League loss came away from home against a resurgent Leeds United at the start of December.
They’re seven points behind Villa in the table – the implications of this match could prove very significant indeed.
Villa team news
Emery continues to navigate December without defensive duo Pau Torres and Tyrone Mings, who remain absent with their respective injuries. Torres is expected to return sooner than Mings, but not soon enough to face Chelsea in London on Saturday.
Former Blues midfielder Ross Barkley is out injured until the new year and will not play against his old club.
Villa will also be without winger Evann Guessand, who has joined the Ivory Coast squad at the Africa Cup of Nations but Jadon Sancho is available again after he was ineligible to play against Manchester United.
Villa predicted line-up v Chelsea
The deployment of Amadou Onana and Boubacar Kamara as a double pivot in midfield means Villa have reassigned Youri Tielemans as a number 10 in recent matches and will continue to do so as long as all of the midfielders are fit.
John McGinn has been playing on the right and Morgan Rogers on the left, also consequences of Villa’s midfield strength.
Where to watch Chelsea v Villa
Villa’s away game against Chelsea will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event in the UK.
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➡️ How to watch Chelsea v Aston Villa: kick-off time, TV channels and streams
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