Prediction: Aston Villa vs Chelsea

Verdict: Aston Villa to qualify 

Best Odds: 2/3

Bookmaker: Dachbet

Two sides looking to extend on their FA Cup adventures at the second attempt on Wednesday night, Aston Villa will welcome Chelsea to the Midlands.

Aston Villa

Starting with the hosts, managing to make a welcomed return to winning ways over the weekend, Aston Villa will now be looking to find some crucial stability. Drawing a line under their three-match winless run as they secured a rampant 5-0 victory against leading relegation scrappers Sheffield United, Unai Emery’s men should be smelling a golden opportunity when they return to the Midlands on Wednesday night. Still firmly in the mix to clinch a famous Champions League ticket this year, Villa will be excited by a stellar record against Chelsea. Although the former Arsenal boss might have been forced to settle for a 0-0 stalemate when they travelled to west London for their initial FA Cup showdown on January 26th, Emery’s high-flying squad are unbeaten in all of their previous four meetings against Wednesday’s guests across all competitions.

Team News

All still dealing with respective long-term injury issues, Aston Villa will once again be without the likes of Lucas Digne, Emi Buendia and England international Tyrone Mings on Wednesday night. Despite being linked with a move to Chelsea during January’s transfer window, Colombia international Jhon Duran is seen as a doubt here.

Now finding the net in back-to-back Premier League appearances and registering 11 top-flight strikes this season, Ollie Watkins should spearhead Emery’s charge in midweek. Making the move from Middlesbrough on Deadline Day, Morgan Rogers could make a first Aston Villa start.

Chelsea

As for the visitors, while Chelsea might have mounted an EFL Cup comeback against Middlesbrough on January 23rd, the Blues are in the midst of a public crisis. Last seen over the weekend putting in a nightmare display at Stamford Bridge as they eventually fell to a shock 4-2 drumming against Wolves, it is no secret that Mauricio Pochettino finds mounting pressure on his shoulders. Signing off January with a 4-1 loss against Liverpool, the former Chelsea boss will also have a major headache over his side’s extended issues outside of west London. Including another 4-1 defeat against Newcastle, the former Premier League champions have lost six of their last seven contests on the road – a run that stems all the way back to November 6th. Almost sat in top-flight limbo, Pochettino’s struggling squad will be bracing themselves for a real challenge here.

Team News

With a stacked treatment room at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea will be without the likes of Reece James, Marc Cucurella, Romeo Lavia, Levi Colwill and former Brighton shot-stopper Robert Sanchez. Although Wesley Fofana might be inching towards a first-team return, the ex-Leicester defender is not expected to feature on Wednesday night.

Returning from the Africa Cup of Nations last week, Senegal international Nicolas Jackson could make a first domestic start since December 17th. Bagging a consolation strike against Wolves over the weekend and notching 10 Premier League goals this season, Cole Palmer will have a leading role to play.

Key Factors to Consider

• When Aston Villa and Chelsea met for their first-leg meeting on January 26th, Wednesday’s opponents played out a 0-0 stalemate.
• Emery’s side are unbeaten in all of their previous four meetings against Chelsea across all competitions.
• The Blues have lost six of their previous seven appearances outside of west London.
• Aston Villa have recorded a clean sheet in four of their last five appearances across all competitions.
• Chelsea have failed to record a single clean sheet away from Stamford Bridge since back on October 2nd.

Conclusion

Making a rampant return to winning ways over the weekend as they stormed their way to a 5-0 victory against Sheffield United, Aston Villa should be smelling a golden opportunity here. Unbeaten in all of their previous four showdowns against Chelsea, Emery’s high-flying squad should be relishing their arrival on Wednesday night. With the Blues remarkably losing six of their previous seven showdowns away from Stamford Bridge, we are backing Villa to extend on their FA Cup adventure in midweek.

Verdict: Aston Villa to qualify

Best Odds: 2/3

Bookmaker: Dachbet