Top-four-chasing Chelsea face a tough test against Premier League title challengers, Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge.
Victory would see Chelsea stay fourth for another matchweek, whilst Villa could climb to second if Manchester City fail to win at Nottingham Forest in the lunchtime kick-off.
Team News
Estevao Willian is set to return for Chelsea after he missed their last two matches with a muscle injury.
Liam Delap (shoulder) could too return but Romeo Lavia (quad), Levi Colwill (ACL), Dario Essugo (thigh) and Mykhailo Mudryk (suspension) are still sidelined.
Villa will welcome Jadon Sancho back into contention after he was ineligible to feature in their win over his parent club, Manchester United.
Evann Guessand however is ruled out after he was permitted to leave the squad following that game, having been a late call-up for Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Harvey Elliott (illness) is set to return but Pau Torres (knock), Ross Barkley (knee) and Tyrone Mings (hamstring) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Chelsea host Villa at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 27 December at 5:30pm GMT, live on Sky Sports in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Chelsea have won one of their last five league meetings against Villa (W1, D1, L3).
- Aston Villa have claimed seven points in their last five league visits to Chelsea (W2, D1, L2)
- Villa have kept clean sheets in two of their last three league trips to Chelsea (W2, L1).
- Chelsea have kept clean sheets in two of their last three league matches at home (W2, D1).
- Five of Morgan Rogers’ seven league goals this season for Villa were scored away from home.
Prediction
Lucky to scrape a comeback draw at Newcastle after a first half of whingeing like kids, Chelsea need to bring the same energy and intensity like they did in the first half if they want to end their recent rut against Villa.
Villa though must be much tighter defensively because they were too loose at times against Man Utd, but their attacking creativity was the key to that win because they mixed it up by going wide at times to utilise the qualities that Morgan Rogers had to clinically get the result.
Chelsea therefore needs to be at their best defensively out wide to frustrate Rogers but at the same time, they need to be aware of Villa’s central threats, but they do have the attacking quality in themselves to snatch a draw.
Prediction: Chelsea 1-1 Aston Villa
Result: Chelsea 1-2 Aston Villa
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