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Chelsea vs Aston Villa LIVE: Premier League team news and line-ups as Moises Caicedo handed new role

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Moises Caicedo has found form this season for Chelsea
Moises Caicedo has found form this season for Chelsea (AFP via Getty Images)

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Chelsea host Aston Villa in the Premier League this afternoon, with the Blues looking to climb the table ahead of Manchester City‘s crunch clash with Liverpool later.

Enzo Maresca’s side have continued their resurgence after the international break, with a 2-1 win over the Italian’s old club, Leicester City, before an easy 2-0 win over Heidenheim in the Conference League. Results yesterday have dropped them into fifth but a big win today could leave them as Liverpool’s closest challengers, with upcoming fixtures including Brentford, Spurs and Southampton.

Unai Emery’s side have had a far more turbulent few weeks, and are without a win in seven games off the back of recent draws with Juventus and Crystal Palace. However, though they find themselves in ninth, they are only three points behind today’s opponents and will fancy their chances of a morale-boosting result in London.

Follow all of the latest from Stamford Bridge in our live blog below:

Matty Cash sees Aston Villa’s home draw with Juventus as a step forward

Aston Villa defender Matty Cash says the 0-0 Champions League draw against Juventus was a “building block” in their bid to regain top form.

Villa’s early-season promise has hit the skids in recent weeks and the Villa Park stalemate was a seventh game without a win, comfortably the longest streak in Unai Emery’s reign.

But their display against the Italian giants, which could have been a win had Morgan Rogers’ injury-time goal not been controversially ruled out, was much better.

Chris Wilson1 December 2024 12:40

Team news

Unai Emery has made two changes to the side that drew to Juventus in midweek. In defence, Ezri Konsa is fit to start in place of Diego Carlos, while on the wing, Jaden Philogene comes in for Leon Bailey.

Chris Wilson1 December 2024 12:32

Team news

Enzo Maresca has made three changes to the side that beat Leicester last time out, with Benoit Badiashile dropping out of defence in favour of Romeo Lavia, who moves into midfield with Caicedo dropping back into defence.

On the wings, Madueke and Felix are replaced by Jadon Sancho and Pedro Neto.

It looks like Moises Caicedo will be playing at right-back today.

Chris Wilson1 December 2024 12:26

Line-ups

Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Neto, Caicedo, Lavia, Enzo, Sancho, Palmer, Jackson.

Subs: Jorgensen, Tosin, Badiashile, Veiga, Gusto, Madueke, Felix, Mudryk, Nkunku.

Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Cash Konsa, Torres, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans; Philogene, Rogers, McGinn; Watkins.

Subs: Olsen, Carlos, Mings, Maatsen, Bogarde, Barkley, Buendia, Bailey, Duran.

Chris Wilson1 December 2024 12:18

Team news

Here’s a quick reminder of the other team news, with the line-ups expected to be announced at 12.15pm.

Malo Gusto and Pedro Neto have returned to training, so they could be involved against Villa, while most first-team players sat out the win over Heidenheim. With Gusto back, the hosts will likely go with a fairly familiar back five.

Maresca’s main issue could be who he picks to partner Moises Caicedo in midfield, with Enzo Fernandez having performed well against Leicester, but with Romeo Lavia having previously been the big-game starter.

The front four should also look pretty standard, as Noni Madueke and Neto return to the wings with Palmer in the middle and Nicolas Jackson upfront.

Villa’s side will likely look pretty similar to the one that drew to Juventus, with Boubacar Kamara starting in midfield in the absence of Amadou Onana.

Ezri Konsa was in the squad in midweek, so he could return to the defence alongside Pau Torres at centre-back.

Jacob Ramsey is still sidelined, so the front three will likely be a combination of Leon Bailey, Morgan Rogers and John McGinn once more, with Ollie Watkins leading the attack.

Chris Wilson1 December 2024 12:10

Enzo Maresca given first team dilemma after back-up goalkeeper’s 11-save show

The Italian continued to rotate for Chelsea’s latest win in the Europa Conference League, making 10 changes, and Jorgensen put in perhaps his best display of the season.

The 22-year-old Danish goalkeeper, who joined from Villarreal in the summer, has been tipped to replace Robert Sanchez as Chelsea’s No 1 after a number of unconvincing performances this season.

Chris Wilson1 December 2024 12:00

Chelsea set to lose Reece James for weeks but replacement close to return, says Enzo Maresca

Chelsea are set to be without captain Reece James for several weeks and the defender may not return to action until the new year.

James missed the start of the season with a hamstring injury, before returning to make three appearances before the November international break. But the 24-year-old is back on the treatment table after picking up a fresh hamstring injury in training.

Chris Wilson1 December 2024 11:50

Predicted line-ups

CHE – Sanchez; Gusto, Colwill, Fofana, Cucurella; Caicedo, Lavia; Madueke, Palmer, Neto; Jackson.

AST – Martinez; Cash, Carlos, Torres, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans; Bailey, Rogers, McGinn, Watkins.

Prediction: It’ll be a close match at the Bridge, but with Villa’s struggles of late and Chelsea’s recent resurgence, it’s hard to see anything but a home win. Chelsea 2-1 Aston Villa.

Chris Wilson1 December 2024 11:40

Is Chelsea vs Aston Villa on TV?

Chelsea vs Aston Villa kicks off at 1.30pm GMT on Sunday 1 December.

The match will be shown live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event, with coverage starting at 1pm. Subscribers can stream via the Sky Go app.

If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.

If you want to stream major sporting events while you are travelling or watching from abroad you’ll need a VPN. Get the best VPN deals in the UK. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.

Chris Wilson1 December 2024 11:30

Team news

Chelsea’s most recent injury news involves captain Reece James, who could miss out until as far as mid-January with a new injury problem.

Malo Gusto and Pedro Neto have returned to training, so they could be involved against Villa, while most first-team players sat out the win over Heidenheim.

Maresca’s main issue could be who he picks to partner Moises Caicedo in midfield, with Enzo Fernandez having performed well against Leicester, but with Romeo Lavia having previously been the big-game starter.

With Gusto back, the hosts will likely go with a fairly familiar back five, though there is a possibility that Filip Jorgensen could replace Robert Sanchez in goal after his midweek heroics.

The front four should also look pretty standard, as Noni Madueke and Neto return to the wings with Palmer in the middle and Nicolas Jackson upfront.

Villa’s side will likely look pretty similar to the one that drew to Juventus, with Boubacar Kamara starting in midfield in the absence of Amadou Onana – there is still no timeline on a return for the Belgian.

Ezri Konsa was in the squad in midweek, so he could return to the defence alongside Pau Torres at centre-back.

Jacob Ramsey is still sidelined, so the front three will likely be a combination of Leon Bailey, Morgan Rogers and John McGinn once more, with Ollie Watkins leading the attack.

Chris Wilson1 December 2024 11:20

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