Chelsea vs Aston Villa | Predictions, Stats and Key Players | OneFootball

Chelsea vs Aston Villa: FA Cup Showdown

Cup Importance and Team Ambitions

Chelsea welcome Aston Villa to Stamford Bridge, as they attempt to continue their good cup form this season. They reached the Carabao Cup final during the week and Mauricio Pochettino will be hoping to progress in the FA Cup. European qualification is far from guaranteed in the league, therefore the cups take on extra importance. For Aston Villa, this will be the third priority, as they are aiming for a top four finish and a triumph in Europe. Their team selection will be interesting as they have had two weeks rest, but they have a big game in the week against Newcastle.

Chelsea’s Recent Form and Improvement

There has been some improvement from Chelsea in recent weeks, as it feels like Pochettino is starting to get to grips with the squad. They have only conceded two goals across four fixtures in 2024, although three of those games have been against Championship opposition. The performance during the week against Middlesbrough was pleasing, as they were dominant and clinical in the final third. This has been an issue that has plagued them for two years now. If they can build confidence in attack, they can emerge as a very good team.

Photo: IMAGO

Aston Villa’s Cup Strategy and Emery’s Tactics

Unai Emery is considered a very good cup manager, as he can create tactical plans for an individual fixture. His record throughout his career has backed that up, but the FA Cup will not be seen as a priority. They have an excellent chance to secure Champions League football through the league, while they will be confident that they can win the Europa Conference League. That being said, this is a chance to record a huge win over a traditional top six club. In the second half of the season, momentum is important, regardless of the competition.

Interesting Stats

Chelsea have won 40 of their last 47 FA Cup matches at Stamford Bridge. Aston Villa have done well at Stamford Bridge in recent years. They have won their last two matches at Chelsea’s home ground.

Key Men

Palmer

It has been an incredible few months for Cole Palmer. He has gone from the fringes of the Manchester City team to being the talisman for Chelsea. It is very likely that he will be included in the England squad this summer, which shows that he was right to make the move. The transfer was a backwards one when you consider chances for major trophies, but it has helped his own individual development. Plenty of players have arrived in West London in the last two seasons, but nobody has made an impact as quickly as Palmer. It has been speculated that it has been a difficult environment for players, so it underlines the impressive mentality that Palmer has. He is in the run of good form with five goals and two assists in his last five matches.

Watkins

The Aston Villa forward has continued to thrive under Unai Emery. It has been a relationship that has benefitted Watkins, as he has taken his goal-scoring to a new level. This has helped him break into the England set-up again. The competition in the striking ranks is intense, especially now Ivan Toney is back. However, Watkins is in the best position to make the squad, as long as he steers clear of injuries and continues to be influential for Villa. Although he hasn’t scored in over a month, he continues to contribute in other ways. The 28-year-old has nine goals and eight assists in the Premier League, underlining how important he is in the scoring and creation of goals.

Photo: IMAGO

Team News

Nicolas Jackson remains on international duty. There are still plenty of players injured, with Christopher Nkunku, Malo Gusto and Romeo Lavia all unlikely to be back for this one. Marc Cucurella, Reece James and Wesley Fofana remain long term absentees.

Jacob Ramsey and Pau Torres are both doubts for this FA Cup game. Emery may be cautious with them. Lucas Digne could return this month, but he isn’t expected back for the trip to Stamford Bridge.

Match Verdict

This should be a really entertaining match, as both teams have players that can influence the game in attack. Aston Villa have been less reliable away from home and their focus is elsewhere. That could give the advantage to Chelsea. Although this is only a cup game, it offers a chance for them to record a win over a team above them in the Premier League. Mentally, that could be important ahead of the second half of the season.

Chelsea 2-1 Aston Villa