| Chelsea vs Aston Villa | |
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MATCH INFO |
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MATCH :
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Chelsea vs Aston Villa
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COMPETITION :
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Premier League
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| DATE: |
27-12-2025
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TIME:
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11.00 PM IST
09.30 PM UAE
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STADIUM
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Stamford Bridge |
With Liam Delap and Estevao Willian back in contention, Chelsea head into the weekend with only three injury concerns. Dario Essugo and Romeo Lavia remain sidelined, while Levi Colwill is a long-term absentee.
The return of Cole Palmer could prompt Enzo Maresca to rethink his big-game setup. The Italian has previously deployed Reece James in midfield alongside Moises Caicedo, allowing Enzo Fernandez to operate further forward, but that approach may need refinement on Saturday.
Maresca could instead retain James at right-back, with the Chelsea captain stepping into midfield during sustained possession. That would see Marc Cucurella, Trevoh Chalobah and Wesley Fofana form the Blues’ in-possession back three, maintaining balance while preserving James’ influence in central areas.
Aston Villa, meanwhile, will be without on-loan Chelsea midfielder Harvey Elliott due to illness, although he was unlikely to feature at Stamford Bridge regardless. Ross Barkley (knee), Tyrone Mings (hamstring) and Pau Torres (calf) are also unavailable.
Evann Guessand has been called up to the Ivory Coast squad as Sebastien Haller’s replacement for the Africa Cup of Nations, ruling the forward out of this weekend’s clash.
Despite Villa’s reliance on low-percentage chances, Morgan Rogers has been a standout performer. The attacking midfielder has scored braces against both West Ham United and Manchester United in consecutive matches and will be eager to continue his scoring run in London.