A significant contest in the race to play in next season’s Champions League takes place on Wednesday night, as Chelsea visit a slumping Aston Villa side.
Outsiders for the Premier League title not too long ago, Unai Emery’s Villans have slid below Manchester United in the table and down to fourth. They’re suddenly in the scrap to secure a top-five finish that’ll likely be enough to return to UEFA’s elite club competition in 2026–27.
They’re just six points clear of their upcoming opponents, having won just one of their previous five league outings. On Friday night, Emery’s side were stunned by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers in a 2–0 defeat.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have endured their own rut. Liam Rosenior has gone three league games without a win after a productive start to his reign, and it won’t take long for an already sceptical fanbase to turn on the Blues manager.
After falling at Arsenal on Sunday, Chelsea are sixth in the table and begin the matchday three points adrift of Liverpool in fifth.
Aston Villa vs. Chelsea Score Prediction
Spoils Shared in Crucial Fixture
While this fixture arrives at a rather innocuous time, there’s no denying its potential importance.
The hosts are desperate to stop their slide and resettle, while Chelsea require a new surge of momentum after the bounce post-Rosenior’s arrival faded.
Villa have won back-to-back games against the Blues, but they’re without so many integral pieces to Emery’s framework. Chelsea are also subtly different under Rosenior compared to Enzo Maresca, who struggled against Emery.
A win for the visitors will re-embolden their charge, while success for the hosts should settle any nerves of a complete collapse.
- The Tammy Abraham effect: Emery gave no secrets away as to who’ll start up front for Villa on Wednesday, but a strong case must be made for January arrival Abraham to get the nod over the out-of-sorts Ollie Watkins. Going up against his former club, who somewhat discarded him after he helped them out of the mire with Frank Lampard at the helm, Abraham, who’s scored in two of his previous three outings, will be determined to haunt his former employers.
- Trepidation on both sides: Neither team enters this contest in a particularly bright spot, with Chelsea relinquishing leads and succumbing to set-pieces, and Villa suffering mightily in the absence of their three best midfielders. A cagey outing could thus be the result in what’s a significant game in the top-five race.
- Home discomfort: Villa Park has been a fortress for much of Emery’s tenure, but visiting teams have enjoyed plenty of success in the West Midlands this calendar year. Everton, Newcastle United and Brentford have all won here since Jan. 18, while Leeds United, who have a wretched away record, also picked up a point.
Prediction: Aston Villa 1–1 Chelsea
Aston Villa Predicted Lineup vs. Chelsea
It doesn’t appear as if Emery will be welcoming back any players for Chelsea’s visit, with Villa still decimated in midfield.
The injuries sustained to John McGinn, Youri Tielemans and Boubacar Kamara have certainly been hard felt amid their drop down to fourth in the Premier League table. Tielemans could return at the end of the month, while McGinn should be available for the run-in.
The less significant Andrés García and Harvey Ellliott, who’s surprisingly barely kicked a ball for the Villans this season, are also injury doubts.
Tammy Abraham’s superior form to Ollie Watkins should see the ex-Chelsea striker get the nod on Wednesday night.
Aston Villa predicted lineup vs. Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Martínez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen; Onana, Luiz; Bailey, Buendia, Rogers; Abraham.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Aston Villa
Rosenior will be without Pedro Neto on Wednesday night after the Portuguese winger picked up a pair of yellow cards in Chelsea’s defeat at Arsenal. However, Wesley Fofana can be welcomed back into the fold having served a one-game suspension.
The Frenchman may have to wait for a return to the starting lineup, though, given that 20-year-old center back Mamadou Sarr produced an accomplished performance at the Emirates.
The Chelsea manager has confirmed that both Cole Palmer and Reece James are “fine” to start at Villa Park, with rotation more likely against Wrexham in the FA Cup fifth round this weekend.
Marc Cucurella and Estêvão are close to returning but not ready yet, while Levi Colwill, Dário Essugo and Jamie Gittens are also absent.
What Time Does Aston Villa vs. Chelsea Kick Off?
- Location: Birmingham, England
- Stadium: Villa Park
- Date: Wednesday, March 4
- Kick-off Time: 7:30 p.m. GMT / 2:30 p.m. ET / 11:30 a.m. PT
- Referee: Jarred Gillett
- VAR: James Bell
How to Watch Aston Villa vs. Chelsea on TV, Live Stream
| Country | TV Channel/Live Strean |
|---|---|
| United States | USA Network, UNIVERSO |
| United Kingdom | TNT Sports 3, discovery+, discovery+ App |
| Canada | DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada, Fubo Sports Network 6 Canada |
| Mexico | FOX One |
READ THE LATEST PREMIER LEAGUE NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS AND GOSSIP
- Newcastle vs. Man Utd: Preview, Predictions and Lineups
- Man City vs. Nottingham Forest: Preview, Predictions and Lineups
- Brighton vs. Arsenal: Preview, Predictions and Lineups
- Transfer News, Rumors: Fernandes Holds Crunch Man Utd Talks; Liverpool’s Salah Demands Slashed
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Aston Villa vs. Chelsea, Preview, Predictions and Lineups.
