Chelsea vs Aston Villa: Blues host Emery's high-flyers in tasty FA Cup tie
CHELSEA are back in domestic cup competition tonight, hosting Aston Villa in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
The Blues reached the Carabao Cup final earlier this week and will look to get revenge against a Villa side who have beaten the Blues twice in their last two visits to Stamford Bridge.
- Kick-off time: 7:45 PM GMT
- Streaming/TV: Not televised in Great Britain
- Chelsea XI: To follow…
- Villa XI: To follow…
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Team news
Chelsea return to action less than 72 hours after their victory over Middlesbrough, but manager Mauricio Pochettino has no concerns about further injuries amid his injury crisis.
However, Christopher Nkunku (hip), Lesley Ugochukwu (hamstring), Marc Cucurella (ankle), Robert Sanchez (knee), Wesley Fofana (ACL), Romeo Lavia (thigh) and Reece James (thigh) are still sidelined.
Nicolas Jackson is also still on duty at the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal.
But Malo Gusto could be back in action after missing the Carabao Cup semi-final due to a knock.
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery, on the other hand, will have to do without Emi Buendia and Tyrone Mings, who are still struggling with a knee injury.
Lucas Digne is also still dealing with a thigh problem that should keep him out of contention, while Bertrand Traore has joined Burkina Faso at Afcon.
However, Pau Torres, Jacob Ramsey and Robin Olsen were able to return to Emery's team.
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What is their shape?
Chelsea reached the fourth round after eliminating Preston with a comfortable 4-0 win at Stamford Bridge.
And of course the Blues made it to the Carabao Cup final after another win over Middlesbrough.
The West Londoners are on a roll despite this season's misery as they have won three of their last four games in all competitions, losing once to Boro at the Riverside Stadium.
Aston Villa, on the other hand, reached the Round of 32 in the competition with a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough.
After winning a record 15 consecutive games at home to Arsenal, Villa's run against Sheffield United came to an end with a 1-1 draw last month.
However, Unai Emery's men won three of the seven games that followed the victory over the Gunners, but lost once to Manchester United.
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The ones to watch
Chelsea star Cole Palmer is making the most of his increased opportunities at Stamford Bridge after leaving Manchester City in the summer.
Palmer has scored an impressive seven goals and three assists in his last ten games in all competitions.
However, the Blues will have to keep an eye on Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins, who has been in red-hot form this season.
Watkins scored an impressive 14 goals and 10 assists in 29 appearances.
What has been said?
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino insists “people have to believe in his players” after reaching the Carabao Cup final.
Pochettino told Sky Sports: “Sometimes we can think about Chelsea's history and the missing players. We are young and we need to grow. These types of games are a good experience for young players and it's about growing now and it will help .” us to compete.
“We are building a very good team. The mentality is good. We have enough, but we need time. It is a new project. We are building a team and sometimes it is normal to play worse.”
“We played well and didn't win, but now it will be a big boost for us. People have to believe and trust in us and we go to the final with the chance of winning the first trophy of the season.”
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery, on the other hand, will expect more from his players after a dull 0-0 draw at Everton.
Emery told Sky Sports: “We are frustrated because we had chances to score but that's how football is. You can control the game the way you want but sometimes it's not enough and today it wasn't enough.”
“We are not happy with just one point, we are happy because this is the way and we raised our level before we played like this. We played with a good personality today.
“I'm happy because we are getting stronger in our ideal style and feel comfortable and confident in playing the way we constantly create. The point is not enough, we have to accept it.”
“But how we play, how we worked and how we showed our capabilities on the field, this is the way. Now we get some rest days, we deserve that. But I want to show and pass on to the players: this is the way .”
When is Chelsea vs Aston Villa?
- Chelsea's match against Aston Villa takes place on Friday, January 26.
- The match will be played at Stamford Bridge.
- Chelsea vs Aston Villa starts at 7.45pm GMT.
Is Chelsea vs Aston Villa on TV?
- Unfortunately, despite Friday evening's match, Chelsea's match against Aston Villa has not been selected for television.
- Tottenham's match with Manchester City will instead be shown on terrestrial TV.
Team news
Chelsea have an extensive injury list, including Christopher Nkunku, Lesley Ugochukwu, Marc Cucurealla and Romelo Lavia.
Reece James and Wesley Fofana are both still out of action due to knee and hamstring injuries respectively.
One positive for Chelsea is the return of Ben Chilwell, who was brilliant in the Blues' 6-1 win over Middlesbrough.
Emilio Buendía and Tyrone Minos continue to recover from their cruciate ligament injuries, while Lucas Digne is also still out.
Chances
- Chelsea – 11/10
- Draw – 12/5
- Villa – 23/10
- Both teams score YES – 3/5
*Also thanks to Ladbrokes and correct at time of publication.