Chelsea and Aston Villa are preparing for an important Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
The Blues, despite owner Todd Boehly’s substantial spending, has not featured in European football at home for seven years.
This season they are facing their worst five-game Premier League start since 2015-16, with just one win, two draws, and two losses.
Mauricio Pochettino is under pressure, as the last Chelsea manager to experience such a poor start was Jose Mourinho, who was sacked in 2015.
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Pochettino has shifted the blame to a growing list of injuries, which he highlighted following a disappointing 0-0 draw against Bournemouth last weekend.
Sunday in our sights. 👊 pic.twitter.com/7c82XP9yMK
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 21, 2023
Nevertheless, there is still time for the former Tottenham Hotspur manager to reverse the situation.
Aston Villa’s upcoming visit to Stamford Bridge could complicate matters, especially considering that Unai Emery’s team managed to defeat Chelsea 2-0 in April during an impressive ten-game unbeaten run in the league, comprising eight wins and two losses.
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However, Emery’s reputation as a European specialist hasn’t held up recently. His team suffered a surprising 3-2 defeat to Polish side Legia Warsaw in their first Europa Conference League match on Thursday.
This disappointing result came at an inconvenient time for the Birmingham club, as it halted their momentum following a remarkable 3-1 comeback victory against Crystal Palace last weekend.
Chelsea vs. Aston Villa: Form Guide
Pochettino may attribute Chelsea’s slow start to the season to their injury crisis, but the reality is that the Blues have struggled, having failed to win in three out of four Premier League games in which they were favoured (one draw and two losses).
Their lone home league victory in their last ten matches was a 3-0 win over Luton Town in late August, and they’ve drawn five and lost four of the rest.
Chelsea should not take their home advantage for granted, especially considering that Aston Villa have held them to two winless results in their last three top-flight meetings at Stamford Bridge (one draw and one loss).
However, solely blaming Pochettino would be unfair, as Chelsea squandered a league-high of ten clear-cut scoring opportunities leading up to their previous Premier League match.
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Watch Mauricio Pochettino preview #CheAvl LIVE! https://t.co/idR5t0bGK2
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 22, 2023
Aston Villa has displayed a mixed performance at the start of the new season, with three wins and two losses, all featuring multi-goal margins.
While Unai Emery’s team was one of the top away performers in the league last season, their away showings this season have been disappointing.
Aside from a 3-0 win over newly-promoted Burnley, they’ve lost their last two Premier League away games by a combined score of 8-1, falling to Liverpool and Newcastle United.
Their defence on the road has been leaky, conceding three or more goals in three out of five competitive away matches, which is concerning as they attempt to recover from a midweek shock.
Chelsea vs. Aston Villa: Team News
Chelsea will be without several players, including Benoit Badiashile, Armando Broja, Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Rome Lavia, Christopher Nkunku, and Carney Chukwuemeka.
Moises Caicedo’s availability is uncertain, while Trevoh Chalobah and Noni Madueke could return to the matchday squad.
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Aston Villa will miss Emiliano Buendia, Tyrone Mings, Diego Carlos, and Kortney House due to injuries, while Bertrand Traore faces a race against time to be fit.
Chelsea vs. Aston Villa: Predicted Started Line-up
Chelsea’s Predicted Starting Line-up (4-2-3-1): Robert Sanchez; Defenders: Malo Gusto, Thiago Silva, Axel Disasi, Levi Colwill, Chimuanya Ugochukwu, Conor Gallagher, Enzo Fernandez, Raheem Sterling, Cole Palme, Nicolas Jackson.
Aston Villa’s Predicted Starting Line-up (4-3-3): Emiliano Martinez, Matty Cash, Pau Torres, Ezri Konsa, Lucas Digne, Douglas Luiz, John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara, Leon Bailey, Moussa Diaby, Ollie Watkins.
Our Score Prediction: Chelsea 2-2 Aston Villa
A draw wouldn’t significantly benefit either manager, but they can’t afford to lose, particularly Pochettino, who may be under pressure.
We expect both teams to score, but the match is likely to end in a draw, as it promises to be a fierce midfield battle.
