Chelsea host Aston Villa on Sunday at Stamford Bridge with just three points between the two teams.
WATCH — Chelsea vs Aston Villa live
Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea won 2-1 at Leicester City last weekend and should have won by more. Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jackson are a real handful as a trio and the next step for them is to become more clinical individually and as a collective. Chelsea have only lost two games this season, at home to Man City in their league opener and away at Liverpool. They’re heading in the right direction and look set to be in the scrap for Champions League qualification until the bitter end.
Aston Villa have struggled with juggling their Champions League and Premier League commitments in recent weeks. Unai Emery’s side are sliding in the Premier League as they’re without a win in their last seven games in all competitions as defensive issues continue. Emery has rotated and also been hit with key injuries at the back and that has led to Villa conceding eight goals in their last three league games. They drew 2-2 at home to Crystal Palace last weekend but could have conceded more as they looked susceptible on the counter with their risky high line becoming easier to unlock.
How to watch Chelsea vs Aston Villa live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 8:30am ET, Sunday (December 1)
Venue: Stamford Bridge — London
TV Channel: USA Network
Streaming: Watch live online via NBC.com
Chelsea team news, focus
Chelsea’s squad is massive and they continue to juggle Europa Conference League and Premier League action seamlessly with two different squads. Jackson, Palmer and Madueke have been superb and Pedro Neto and Joao Felix are both pushing hard to start. In midfield the duo of Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo should be preferred in this game to stop Villa’s plan of getting Jacob Ramsey the ball centrally and hitting Ollie Watkins on the counter.
OUT: Omari Kellyman (thigh), Reece James (hamstring) | QUESTIONABLE: Levi Colwill (knock), Malo Gusto (illness), Pedro Neto (undisclosed)
Aston Villa team news, focus
Yes, Villa’s injuries have calmed down but Unai Emery is now struggling with slightly rusty players being back in the game and figuring out the right combinations. He loves to rotate but are Villa better rolling out their best lineup game after game and then subbing in some of their fringe players? Still, John McGinn and Ollie Watkins continue to create and score goals and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez will be busy this weekend as Villa’s risky high-line often leaves him exposed.
OUT: Jacob Ramsey (thigh) | QUESTIONABLE: Amadou Onana (foot)
Chelsea vs Aston Villa prediction
This seems like it will be an open game full of counters and neither team can control games full right now. That said, Chelsea are in better form and their forwards seem more confident at the moment. Chelsea 2-1 Aston Villa.
