Aston Villa Vs Chelsea
Aston Villa Vs Chelsea Sunday, 26 December 2021 – 17:30 (GMT)
English Premier League
Pick: Aston Villa or Draw
Odds: 23/20
Bookmaker: BetVictor
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 24 December 2021)
Preview: We are at Villa Park this Boxing Day as Aston Villa, who have won each of their last three fixtures on this day, look to repeat the 2-1 scoreline enjoyed in last season’s corresponding encounter. That would be disastrous for a visiting Chelsea side that has dropped far too many points in December already.
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Table of Contents
Aston Villa – New manager bounce still going strong?
In early November, when the team were flailing under manager Dean Smith having lost for the fifth league game in a row, perhaps those who run the club sought inspiration from upcoming opponents Chelsea? Thomas Tuchel has turned them into an entirely different proposition to what they were under the previous regime, and Steven Gerrard is showing all the early hallmarks of performing something similar at Villa.
We are now six games into the former Liverpool midfielder’s tenure at Villa Park and already the impact has felt profoundly positive. 12 points from 18 (W4 L2) and only five conceded from a run of fixtures which included Liverpool and Man City (lost 1-0 and 1-2 respectively). The latter sides are the only ones to have gotten the better of Gerrard’s men thus far, and neither had it all their own way.
Villa should cause a Chelsea side low on confidence problems therefore. Particularly with them being at home, where they have beaten Brighton and Leicester City since Gerrard’s appointment last month and ran the league leaders close in a narrow defeat. Villa scored in all three aforementioned fixtures, maintaining a fine record which has seen them score in all of their past nine Premier League home games.
Chelsea – Margin for error no longer there?
We are approaching one year in charge as Chelsea manager for Thomas Tuchel and the German, who has undoubtedly had a transformative impact on this group of players, is arguably facing his toughest period since swapping Paris for West London. Their recent goalless draw at Wolves made it one win in four Premier League games (D2 L1), falling from first to third, now six points adrift of leaders Man City.
The Blues seldom looked like scoring last time, with an xGF of 0.85 among their lowest of the season. It marked only the second occasion without scoring in the 18 Premier League away games overseen by Tuchel, who has never gone more than two league games without winning in England. However, after a disappointing draw at home to a depleted Everton in their previous outing, is that trend about to end?
Unfortunately, the bad omens don’t stop there. For Chelsea are seeking to avoid losing three consecutive Boxing Day fixtures for only the second time in their history, after going down 3-1 away to Arsenal on this day last term. That same season saw them beaten 2-1 at Villa Park. Although a comfortable 3-0 victory in this season’s reverse fixture means they are targeting their seventh league double over the Villains.
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Aston Villa Vs Chelsea Betting Advice
After successive draws, Chelsea know they need to resume winning ways if they are to remain in the title race. Fortunately for them, a third draw on the spin seems unlikely what with Aston Villa last registering one of those in the competition in August. Villa haven’t share the points with any of their last fourteen opponents (W6 L8), a run that all started with a 3-0 loss to the Blues at Stamford Bridge.
Aston Villa Vs Chelsea – Key Facts:
- None of Aston Villa’s last 14 Premier League fixtures finished in a draw (W6 L8), yet three of Chelsea’s previous four league games ended in this manner (W1).
- Aston Villa have scored at least one goal in each of their past nine Premier League home games. Chelsea are without a clean sheet in two away league games, having previously kept five clean sheets in six such matches.
- Goals from Bertrand Traore and Anwar El Ghazi – neither of whom are expected to feature on Sunday – earned Aston Villa a 2-1 win in this same fixture last season.
Tuchel has been without a recognised striker for recent matches and unless one of Romele Lukaku or Timo Werner becomes available, it is difficult to see how a Chelsea side with one goal in two league games find a couple – remember, the hosts have scored in each of their last nine Premier League home games – against an Aston Villa that has only conceded five in six matches under Gerrard.
Best Betting Odds – Aston Villa Vs Chelsea
Aston Villa – 9/2 (BetFred)
Draw – 3/1 (Bet365)
Chelsea – 4/6 (WilliamHill)
