Premier League: More Blues on the way for Villa

Chelsea vs Aston Villa

Third plays eighth in a Sunday Lunchtime clash as Chelsea and Aston Villa meet in a mouth-watering prospect at Stamford Bridge.     

Enzo Maresca is making progress in West London since his arrival in the summer: that is clear to see as his team sits handily in third place in the Premier League table, five places ahead of Unai Emery’s Villa. The visitors could actually draw level with their hosts on 22 points with a win, but the two teams are on opposite trajectories, while Chelsea are unbeaten in four in the league, the Villains are without a victory in seven in all competitions.

After a brilliant campaign last term and a very strong start to this season Emery’s team has tailed off and they drew at home to Crystal Palace last time out, while Chelsea come into the game on the back of a 2-1 victory away to Leicester City and, among our SBOTOP predictions for this round of fixtures, I’m backing the Blues to dish out some more pain for the Midlanders.  

 

Talking Points

Jackson so good for improving Chelsea

When Maresca met his old pals at Leicester he received a warm welcome from the fans who watched him lead their team to the Premier League last term, but he did no favours to the struggling Foxes once his players crossed the white line. Goals from Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez gave the Blues a comfortable victory, even though Jordan Ayew converted a 95^th minute penalty consolation. Maresca reserved special praise for Jackson, saying: “He is doing very well. He is working hard on and off the ball. Sometimes we use him as a midfielder or attacking behind. We are very happy with Nico and how he plays on the ball and especially off the ball.”  

He is a versatile forward but the 23 year old Gambian certainly knows where the net is, scoring 21 goals in 47 appearances; 14 in his debut campaign and seven already this term. When you add his goals to the impressive stats of the excellent Cole Palmer, who has seven goals and five assists and Noni Madueke who has four goals, Jackson is a key part of a buoyant Chelsea front line which also has Christopher Nkunku pushing for a start.

The Blues have a Europa Conference League game away to Heidenheim on Thursday when Maresca will be able to use some fringe players, but Jackson is sure to line up against Aston Villa.

 

Emery’s men need a lift  

The Villains played out a 0-0 draw at home to Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday and that made this seven games run the longest without a win since Unai Emery took over as head coach in November 2022. It hasn’t helped that he has been without summer signing Amadou Onana in recent weeks. The 6ft 5in 23 year old is a dominant figure in defensive midfield and the £50m Villa paid to Everton looks a fair price for a young man with 20 Belgium caps. Villa are yet to win a game without Onana in the starting line-up since he injured a foot playing for the Red Devils. He isn’t too far from a return and his appearance will be a huge lift for Emery’s team. Without him the defence has had less protection and only five teams have shipped more than the 19 conceded by Villa, four of those being in the bottom five. Centre back Tyrone Mings has recently returned from injury but he has looked off the pace.  

Villa have had more joy up front and Ollie Watkins with six goals, Jhon Duran with four and Morgan Rogers with three are all lively customers; with England international Watkins constantly showing what a class act he is. Premier League 2024 results have been disappointing in recent weeks but Villa are still only three points behind the top four places and have only been beaten once in the Champions League. The turnaround will come… but I suspect this match will be a little too early.   

 

History

Chelsea have had the upper hand in this relationship, with 33 wins to 16 in all competitions since 1993 while there have been 15 draws. Last season Villa won this fixture 1-0 before the two teams played out a 2-2 draw at Villa Park in April. 

Of course Premier League 2024 betting tips often rely on recent form and the stats are telling in this match. With three wins, two draws and one defeat from the last six games Chelsea are in decent form while Villa have been struggling with four defeats and two draws from their last six. 

 

Betting Tip

Chelsea are at 1.71 to win this match with the draw at 3.64 and Villa are priced at 3.73; and I really can’t see much joy for the struggling visitors against a side which is beginning to click nicely under Maresca. 

   

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