Once again, things have not gone according to plan for Aston Villa this season. The proud Birmingham club is struggling to avoid relegation for the third campaign in a row, currently finding themselves just three points clear of the relegation places after 23 Premier League matches. They’ve reached a point of the season where fighting and scraping for every point they can is vital, and taking all three points in each of their home matches is the goal.
Aston Villa vs. Chelsea live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch the EPL online
Aston Villa are desperately trying to pull clear of the relegation zone, but with table-topping Chelsea in town, that will be a tough battle to win this weekend.
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That won’t be an easy task Saturday, however, with league-leaders Chelsea coming to town. The Blues’ lead atop the table is still at five points after last weekend’s draw against second-place Manchester City, but their form has been somewhat disappointing to fans of late. They’ve won just two of their last five all-competitions matches, a spell that includes their shock loss to League One side Bradford City in the FA Cup. They’ll be looking to get back on track by delivering a thrashing in this match, and there’s every chance that Aston Villa fans will be watching the match in terror with fingers over their eyes by the time the final whistle blows.
Key player - Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
Villa fullback Alan Hutton has been surprisingly decent this season for the Claret-and-Blue, but he needs to be a whole lot more than that on Saturday. Hazard might be the best wide attacker in the Premier League right now, and his quick-footed style is anathema to how Villa's right back plays. Hazard can definitely be a little mercurial at times, with the bad habit of fading out of too many matches, but if given space and time on the ball, he can be an incredible force for the Blues.
If Chelsea can get him going early, he has an excellent chance of being able to put Villa to the sword almost entirely on his own. Hazard will be eager to add to the four goals and three assists that he has in his last 10 all-competitions starts for Chelsea; Villa’s defense will have to be at its best to keep him from doing so.
Key Matchup - Carles Gil (Aston Villa) vs. Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea)
Gil has only played a few times for Villa since moving to the Premier League from Spanish outfit Valencia last month, but he’s already shown himself to be a tremendous asset to the side. His ability to create for himself and his teammates is something that the Birmingham club has been sorely lacking this season, and he’ll be at the heart of anything positive Villa’s attack does on Saturday.
Assuming Gil takes up his usual spot on the right wing, the job of stopping him will fall to Azpilicueta, who has been in a little bit of an up-and-down patch of form. As long as he doesn’t have a bad day, Azpilicueta stands a good chance of stopping Gil due to his athleticism and strong ability to follow wingers as they cut inside, a gift he has on the left side of the pitch thanks in part to his stronger right foot. This will be an intriguing battle to watch all match long.
Aston Villa injuries and suspensions
Out: Philippe Senderos (calf), Libor Kozak (broken leg) In doubt: Joe Cole (hamstring), Ron Vlaar (knee)
Chelsea injuries and suspensions
Out: Diego Costa (suspended), Filipe Luis (calf) In doubt: Cesc Fabregas (hamstring), Willian (muscle strain)
Match Date/Time: Saturday, 3 p.m. local, 10 a.m. ET
Venue: Villa Park, Birmingham, England
TV: NBCSN (U.S. - English), Mun2 (U.S. - Spanish), Sportsnet World + regional stations (Canada)
Online: NBC Sports Live Extra (U.S.), Sportsnet World Now (Canada)
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