Chelsea will be hoping to pick up their first win in almost a month at home to fellow strugglers Aston Villa on Saturday. The defending Premier League champions headed into the international break on the back of a draw to Newcastle United and a defeat to Southampton, leaving them only two places and four points above the drop zone after eight matches. It has been a quite unbelievably bad start for the Blues, and a failure to win at home to Villa would only increase the pressure on manager José Mourinho.
Chelsea vs. Aston Villa 2015 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch online
Two Premier League strugglers meet at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, where Chelsea are tipped to beat Aston Villa.
Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images
That’s because Aston Villa are, to put it simply, not a very good team. They’ve not won a single league match since defeating newly promoted Bournemouth on the opening day of the season -- a record that has ensured they’re already four points adrift of safety in the bottom three. Their summer signings are yet to convince that they’ve got what it takes to compete in the Premier League, and it’s looking ever more like it’s going to be another long, hard season for the Villans.
Key factor: Does Mourinho still have the players’ support?
It's clear that there are some things very wrong at Chelsea at the moment, and though their squad certainly isn't one of the all-time greats, their recent struggles can't be blamed on a lack of talent. The worry is that it's the result of a terminal breakdown between Mourinho and his players, with rumours of dressing room discord stretching back to the Physiogate affair at the start of the season. We could have a clearer idea of the nature of Chelsea's problems at the end of this match.
Recent history
Rather unsurprisingly, Chelsea have tended to dominate when these sides have met over the last few years. The Blues have won six of the last seven clashes with Aston Villa, while the Villans’ only victory in that time came in a 1-0 home win a couple of seasons ago. However, by far the most noteworthy result in that time was Chelsea’s 8-0 demolition of the midlanders at Stamford Bridge in Dec. 2012, a game in which even Fernando Torres managed to get on the scoresheet.
Chelsea injuries and suspensions
Out: Thibaut Courtois (knee); Branislav Ivanović (hamstring). In doubt: None.
Aston Villa injuries and suspensions
Out: Jores Okore (knee); Gary Gardner (ankle/foot). In doubt: Adama Traoré (ankle/foot); Gabby Agbonlahor (calf/shin); Ciaran Clark (hip/thigh).
Chelsea will still be without the long-term injured goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who won’t be back from his knee injury until at least December. Full back Branislav Ivanović will join him on the sidelines after picking up a hamstring injury on international duty.
Aston Villa will still be without defender Okore and midfielder Gardner, while former Barcelona striker Traoré, defender Clark and attacker Agbonlahor all face late fitness tests to determine their availability.
Match Date/Time: Sat., Oct. 17, 10 a.m. ET, 3 p.m. local
Venue: Stamford Bridge, London, England
TV: USA Network (US - English), NBC Universo (US - Spanish), TSN4 (Canada)
Online: NBC Sports Live Extra (US)
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