Aston Villa v Chelsea: predicted line-up, team news and match preview

Aston Villa face Chelsea this evening in a Premier League match that could prove pivotal in their 2025-26 season.

Villa seem to have been the architects of their own difficulties. They haven’t won in two matches and lost their most recent outing against relegation-bound Wolverhampton Wanderers, becoming only the second team to lose to them in the Premier League this season.

Manager Unai Emery can point to midfield injuries as the cause of Villa’s woes but it’s increasingly evident that the players he does have available should be performing better, being braver, than they have been since the turn of the year.

The Champions League fight intensifies

With Chelsea up next and both Manchester United and Liverpool in action this week too, these have the feel of important days in the battle for Champions League places.

Villa would have been expecting to start this match outside the top four but Liverpool’s own shocking loss at Molineux means that the Reds stayed in fifth place and are themselves vulnerable to Chelsea today.

United caught Villa at the weekend, beating Crystal Palace to climb into third. They too could have dropped a spot had Liverpool beaten Wolves comfortably on Tuesday.

Because of Villa’s wilting form and the clear improvement of United under interim head coach Michael Carrick, the top end of the table outside Arsenal in first and Manchester City in second is getting tighter.

The likelihood is that the Premier League will be awarded five Champions League spots. One or two teams lower down could yet make a push but the smart money says five of the aforementioned six sides will make the cut. Chelsea being the odd one out at kick-off and six points behind Villa makes this a huge game for both.

The difference between a gap of nine points and a gap of three points at this stage of the season is absolutely monolithic.

Villa team news

Emery had no major updates to share when he spoke to reporters ahead of this midweek fixture against Chelsea.

Boubacar Kamara is out for the season after knee surgery and Youri Tielemans isn’t expected to return to action for at least another month, leaving Villa light in midfield for longer than bears thinking about.

Right-back Andrés García has been sidelined for some weeks with a thigh injury and could be out of action for the rest of the month but captain John McGinn is due to return imminently. He won’t be back in time for this one.

Villa predicted line-up v Chelsea

In the shadow of the disaster that preceded it, this could be one of the most significant team selections of Emery’s Villa career.

Supporters want to see changes in personnel as well as energy, but I’m expecting Emery to mostly stick to his guns. If he does and Villa play poorly again, it could be a long night.

Despite the circumstances, I can’t see Emery making the big decision to start with Tammy Abraham over Ollie Watkins up front, which is the most easily justified change to withdraw a misfiring player.

Unlike Abraham, I think there’s a good chance Ian Maatsen will get the start against his former club. It could easily be the only change.

Where to watch Villa v Chelsea

Villa’s home game against Chelsea will be available to watch on TNT Sports 3.

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➡️ How to watch Aston Villa v Chelsea in the UK: kick-off time, live streams and TV channels

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