Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Chelsea vs Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday; kick-off 5.30pm.
Team news
Chelsea will be without injured N'Golo Kante and Christian Pulisic for Saturday's visit of Aston Villa.
Striker Romelu Lukaku is available after recovering from injury, but the Blues are likely to be without defender Thiago Silva due to FIFA's five-day international ban, while Reece James in suspended.
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We look ahead to matchweek four in the Premier League as Crystal Palace host Tottenham, Leicester face Manchester City and Cristiano Ronaldo looks set to make his return to the Premier League as Manchester United host Newcastle
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez will be absent from a league game for the first time in his Aston Villa career due to quarantine rules which also apply to Argentina team-mate Emiliano Buendia.
John McGinn, Leon Bailey and Jacob Ramsey are available but the trip to Stamford Bridge comes too soon for Bertrand Traore, who has only just returned to training after injury.
How to follow
Chelsea vs Aston Villa is live on Sky Sports Premier League from 5pm; kick-off 5.30pm. Sky Sports customers can watch in-game clips in the live match blog on the Sky Sports website and app. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.
Last time out...
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Liverpool's draw with Chelsea
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Aston Villa's draw against Brentford
Opta stats
- Chelsea have lost just one of their last 16 home league games against Aston Villa (W11 D4), going down 3-1 in December 2011.
- Aston Villa won their last Premier League meeting with Chelsea, winning 2-1 on the final day of last season. They've not won consecutive league games against the Blues since October 1993 under Ron Atkinson.
- Since Thomas Tuchel's first game in charge of Chelsea, only Manchester City (51) have won more Premier League points than the Blues (45 - W13 D6 L3). The Blues also have the meanest defence in that run (excluding the promoted sides) with just 14 goals conceded.
- Aston Villa won three of their six Premier League games in London last season (D1 L2), as many victories as they'd managed in their previous 29 top-flight games in the capital (W3 D4 L22).
- Chelsea have won 599 Premier League games (D274 L244) and would become the second team to reach 600 in the competition with victory here (Manchester United, 689).
- Two of Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel's three Premier League defeats have been in home games, with the other coming away against Aston Villa. The last Chelsea boss to lose consecutive league games against the Villans was Bobby Campbell in 1990.
- Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku has scored in each of his last five Premier League appearances against Aston Villa, netting six goals in total in this run. The Belgian is looking for his first top-flight goal at Stamford Bridge, in what would be his 11th appearance at the ground in the competition.
- Danny Ings has been involved in eight goals in his last nine Premier League starts (6 goals, 2 assists), registering a goal involvement in all three of his appearances for Aston Villa so far (2 goals, 1 assist).
