Chelsea vs Aston Villa preview: TV channel, live stream, team news & prediction
Chelsea and Aston Villa meet at Stamford Bridge in Saturday’s late kick-off, with both sides looking for a positive result to mark the return of domestic football after the international break.
Ahead of the weekend’s action, Chelsea sit fourth in the table, while Villa lie 11th.
Here’s a look at everything you need to know about the match…
How to watch Chelsea vs Aston Villa on TV/live stream
When is kick off? Saturday 11 September
What time is kick off? 17:30 (BST)
Where is it played? Stamford Bridge
TV channel/live stream? Sky Sports (UK), fuboTV (US)
Referee? Stuart Attwell
VAR? Chris Kavanagh
Chelsea team news
Chelsea are without at least a couple of important starters, with Reece James serving a red card suspension and Thiago Silva banned by FIFA until next week after the Blues refused to release him for international duty for Brazil.
Romelu Lukaku has had to undergo a scan on a thigh injury, while N’Golo Kante also remains a doubt after withdrawing from international duty with an ankle problem. Christian Pulisic is another doubt. On the plus side, there could be a debut for deadline day signing Saul Niguez.
Aston Villa team news
Emi Martinez and Emi Buendia are both unavailable for Villa because of enforced quarantine upon their return from Argentina. That will mean back-up goalkeeper Jed Steer’s first Premier League appearance since an eight-minute cameo in November 2019.
Manager Dean Smith is hoping to have Leon Bailey available. Ezri Konsa’s fitness could be touch and go but he should make it, while Bertrand Traore is also an injury doubt. Morgan Sansom, meanwhile, has been in full training since the end of August.
Chelsea vs Aston Villa predicted lineups
Chelsea: (3-4-2-1) - Mendy; Christensen, Chalobah, Rudiger; Azpilicueta, Kovacic, Jorginho, Alonso; Havertz, Mount; Lukaku
Aston Villa: (4-4-2) - Steer; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett; Young, McGinn, Luiz, El Ghazi; Ings, Watkins
Chelsea vs Aston Villa head to head
Chelsea haven’t lost against Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge for almost 10 years, since a 3-1 defeat in December 2011 when Stephen Ireland, Stilian Petrov and Darren Bent all scored.
This has largely been a one-sided rivalry ever since. Aside from two Villa wins at Villa Park, which includes the most recent times these teams have met, Chelsea have won 10 of the last 13. However, last season was actually the first season they failed to beat Villa at least once since the 2010/11 campaign.
Altogether, in over 100 years of facing each other, it is pretty even. Chelsea have won 64, Villa have won 58 and there have been 35 draws.
Chelsea vs Aston Villa score prediction
For all their summer spending, Villa have had a decidedly mixed start to the season and will find it difficult to come away from Stamford Bridge with any points this weekend.
Chelsea aren’t quite at full strength for various reasons but their squad has the depth to cope with it, especially at home against a mid-table team.
Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Aston Villa.