Our statistical briefing ahead of a second game in 48 hours includes details of Chelsea's exemplary recent record against Aston Villa, and our West Midlands opponents' fine form on the road this season. Something has to give...
Chelsea vs Aston Villa head to head
The Blues have scored 34 goals against Aston Villa on their last 10 visits to Stamford Bridge in the Premier League. Our 8-0 victory in 2012 equalled our all-time biggest league win.
The Villans have not kept a Premier League clean sheet at the Bridge since March 1998 (19 games).
Their last victory at the Bridge was when Alex McLeish was in charge in December 2011 when goals from Stephen Ireland (below), Stiliyan Petrov and Darren Bent replied to Didier Drogba’s penalty opener for the Blues.
Biggest league win for each team
Chelsea 8-0 Aston Villa 2012/13Aston Villa 7-1 Chelsea 1951/52
Villa’s biggest win at Stamford Bridge was 6-3 in 1931/32
Last season’s corresponding match
CHELSEA 2 ASTON VILLA 1Premier League, Stamford Bridge, 04.12.19, 7.30pm
Chelsea (4-2-3-1) Arrizabalaga; James, Christensen, Zouma, Azpilicueta (c); Kante, Kovacic; Willian (Jorginho 90+1), Mount, Pulisic (Hudson-Odoi 85); Abraham (Batshuayi 82)Unused subs Caballero, Tomori, Emerson, GiroudHead coach Frank LampardBooked Mount 44, Kovacic 80Scorers Abraham 24, Mount 48
Aston Villa (4-3-3) Heaton; Elmohamady, Konsa, Mings, Targett; McGinn, Nakamba, Hourihane (Douglas Luiz 58); Trezeguet (Jota 75), Wesley, Grealish (c).Unused subs Nyland, Taylor, Engels, Lansbury, KodjiaHead coach Dean SmithBooked Targett 63Scorer Trezeguet 41
Referee Chris KavanaghAttendance 40,628
Chelsea stats
Chelsea are unbeaten in six Premier League home games (four wins, two draws), scoring 17 goals in that run.
Chelsea have lost our final league game just once in the last 17 calendar years, coincidentally against Aston Villa in 2011, the last time they came away from the Bridge with three points when Andre Villas-Boas was in charge.
Tammy Abraham has scored 26 goals for the Blues since the start of last season, eight more than any other Chelsea player.
Olivier Giroud has scored in his last six Premier League appearances against Villa, scoring eight goals in that run.
Our final game of 2020 will be our 50th in all competitions and we need to score three to reach a century of goals in the calendar year.
Premier League scorers
Abraham 6, Werner 4, Zouma 4, Jorginho 3 (3 pens), Chilwell 2, Giroud 2, Thiago Silva 2, Havertz 1, Hudson-Odoi 1, James 1, Mount 1, Pulisic 1, Ziyech 1, own-goals 1
Milestones
Aston Villa stats
Last seasonPremier League: 17thFA Cup: Third roundLeague Cup: Runners-upTop scorer all competitions: Jack Grealish (10)
This season’s Premier League statsMost appearances: Six on 13Most goals: Watkins 6, Grealish 5, El Ghazi 4Most assists: Grealish 6, McGinn 4, Traore 2, Watkins 2Most clean sheets: Martinez 8
Six players have started all of Villa’s 13 Premier League games; Emiliano Martinez, Tyrone Mings (now suspended), Matt Targett, John McGinn, Jack Grealish and Ollie Watkins. Matty Cash and Douglas Luiz have started 12.
Dean Smith’s side have won eight of their opening 13 Premier League fixtures for only the second time. The other was 1998/99.
Villa's tally of 25 points after 13 games is their best in the Premier League for 22 years.
Aston Villa have kept eight Premier League clean sheets so far this season, more than any other side and one more than they kept in the whole of 2019/20.
The Villans have npt conceded in any of their last four Premier League games since 30 November, their longest run of shut-outs in the top flight since February 2010 (also four).
Aston Villa have won five of their six Premier League away games this season, their most in a top-flight campaign since 2009/10. They have not conceded in any of those five victories.
Fulham W 3-0Leicester W 1-0Arsenal W 3-0West Ham L 1-2Wolves W 1-0West Brom W 3-0
Premier League scorers
Watkins 6 (1 pen), Grealish 5, El Ghazi 4 (2 pens), Barkley 2, Konsa 2, Mings 2, Traore 2, Hause 1, Hourihane 1, McGinn 1, own goal 1
Dean Smith’s managerial record against Chelsea
Won: 0Drawn: 0Lost: 4
Aston Villa’s last Premier League game
Saturday 26 DecemberAston Villa 3 Crystal Palace 0Team 4-2-3-1: Martinez; Cash, Hause, Mings, Targett; Douglas Luiz (Ramsey 90+1), McGinn; Traore (Konsa 48), Grealish (c), El Ghazi (Elmohamady 86); WatkinsSent off: Mings 45 (two yellow cards)Booked: GrealishScorers: Traore 5, Hause 66, El Ghazi 76
Who moved to Aston Villa in the summer?
Matty Cash - Nottingham ForestOllie Watkins - BrentfordEmiliano Martinez - ArsenalBertrand Traore - LyonRoss Barkley - Chelsea, loan
Discipline
Tyrone Mings is suspended. He has started every one of Villa’s Premier League games this season.
Ross Barkley is not eligible to play against his parent club.
In the Premier League, five yellow cards received before 19 league fixtures have been played will result in a one-match suspension in the competition.
Premier League bookings list
Chelsea: James 3, Kante 3, Mount 2, Thiago Silva 2, Alonso 1, Azpilicueta 1, Chilwell 1, Christensen 1, Havertz 1, Ziyech 1, Zouma 1
Aston Villa: Cash 5, Grealish 4, McGinn 4, Targett 4, Mings 3, Douglas Luiz 2, Hause 1, Konsa 1, Nakamba 1, Watkins 1