Prediction: Chelsea vs Aston Villa

Verdict: Home win

Best odds: 5/7

Bookmaker: Olympusbet

After midweek European exploits, Chelsea and Aston Villa face off at Stamford Bridge in a Premier League showdown on Sunday afternoon.

Chelsea had to dig deep to secure a hard-fought victory over Heidenheim in the Conference League on Thursday, while Aston Villa battled to a draw against Juventus in their Champions League clash two days earlier.

Chelsea

Following the 2-0 defeat in the fourth round of the EFL Cup to Newcastle United on October 30, Chelsea enjoyed a defeat-free November schedule, a promising month of results that concluded with a two-goal victory at the home of Bundesliga outfit Heidenheim in the Conference League on Thursday night.

After a goalless first half, strikes from Christopher Nkunku and Mykhaylo Mudryk ensured that the Blues preserved their 100% record in the first phase of UEFA’s third-tier club competition, meaning that the West Londoners are now guaranteed to advance into February’s play-off round at least.

Focusing on Premier League matters, Chelsea will be looking to make it back-to-back wins in the top flight following the final international break of the calendar year, with Enzo Maresca getting one over his former employers Leicester City last weekend at the King Power Stadium.

Finding the net with a composed finish against the Foxes, Nicolas Jackson is tied at the top of the Blues’ Premier League goalscoring ranks alongside England hero Cole Palmer with seven strikes so far, whilst Noni Madueke (4) is the only other Chelsea player to have netted more than once in the top flight this term.

Collecting just nine of their 22 Premier League points at Stamford Bridge this campaign, no side in the division has earned a smaller ratio of their points at their respective home base to date, meaning that Maresca’s men have a clear area for improvement if they hope to reduce the nine-point gap to league leaders Liverpool.

Team News

Not involved in the Conference League squad of Chelsea, talisman Palmer and midfielder Romeo Lavia will return to the matchday party of the hosts on Sunday.

Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo both watched from the comfort of their own homes as the Blues defeated Heidenheim, with the pair expected to form the midfield duo this weekend.

Suffering a fresh hamstring injury, Reece James is taking a day-by-day approach as he builds back up to fitness, with the former England international set to miss a number of weeks.

Malo Gusto has not featured for the Blues since the end of the international break, whilst Pedro Neto is fighting back from a knock picked up whilst on duty with Portugal.

Aston Villa

Since their 2-0 Champions League win over Bologna on October 22, Aston Villa have gone seven games without a victory in all competitions, prompting audible frustration from fans after Tuesday’s draw with Juventus. The ire of the Villa faithful was especially directed at the late disallowance of Morgan Rogers’ goal, leaving Unai Emery’s side outside the top-eight spots in Europe.

In the Premier League, November yielded just one point for Villa, with heavy defeats to Tottenham and Liverpool followed by a draw against Crystal Palace last Saturday. Villa had to battle back against the Eagles, with goals from Ollie Watkins and Ross Barkley cancelling out strikes from Ismaila Sarr and academy graduate Justin Devenny.

Seeking to end a four-game winless league run, Villa can draw confidence from their recent visits to Stamford Bridge, having won twice and drawn once in their last three competitive matches at Chelsea’s ground.

Team News

After being benched for Tuesday’s clash with Juventus, Ezri Konsa is expected to return to Aston Villa’s starting XI alongside Pau Torres.

This likely means Diego Carlos will make way in defence, provided Unai Emery opts to retain Matty Cash at right-back.

Meanwhile, Colombian prospect Jhon Duran, known for his impactful goalscoring from the bench, is pushing to displace Watkins as the starting striker.

Conclusion

By rotating their squad effectively in Thursday’s Conference League clash, Chelsea’s key players should be well-rested and prepared to face an out-of-form Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge.

Villa risk sliding further down the Premier League table if their winless run persists, and while they may put up a fight, a narrow defeat for the visitors in West London appears likely.

Verdict: Home win

Best odds: 5/7

Bookmaker: Olympusbet