Chelsea are slowly picking up pace under Graham Potter but they are still not able to move above the 10th spot in the Premier League table.
In their next match, the Blues will take on Aston Villa, a team who are level on points with Potter’s men. It’s very hard to predict how Chelsea are going to perform on a particular matchday but if they don’t bring their A-game on Saturday, it can surely result in another disappointment.
This one will be a really balanced match because, on paper, the Blues are the stronger side but Unai Emery’s team have lost just one game in their previous five outings so they have the capacity to cause an upset.
Chelsea’s team news and injury list:
As usual, Graham Potter has a long injury list and some very important players could miss out when Aston Villa come to town.
Edouard Mendy has been recovering from a broken finger and he’s in line to make a comeback this weekend which means Kepa’s position is now in danger.
Thiago Silva is ruled out and there are question marks over Azpilicueta as well. The full-back has been missing due to a concussion protocol but it remains to be seen if he comes back this weekend or not.
Wesley Fofana was feeling his hamstring after the Everton game but he should be fit and available for selection.
Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling both did not feature for England during the international break and the pair are facing a race against time to be fit for Saturday.
Reece James missed England’s clash against Ukraine due to a hamstring injury but it’s being claimed that the withdrawal was just a precaution.
An official statement from Chelsea FC read: “Reece James has withdrawn from the England squad and will not feature against Ukraine on Sunday. The full-back has returned to Chelsea for assessment on an ongoing issue.”
Kai Havertz did not feature for Germany due to illness but he should be available for selection against Aston Villa.
Mudryk remained an unused sub in the 2-2 draw against Everton before the break but he’s going to come back into the first XI which means Joao Felix is going to move to the right-hand side.
Chelsea predicted line up vs Aston Villa:
Predicted Starting Line up(3-4-2-1): Mendy/Kepa; Badiashile, Koulibaly, Fofana; Chilwell, James/Azpilicueta, Enzo Fernandes, Kovacic/Kante; Joao Felix, Mudryk; Kai Havertz.
