Played
December 23, 2012 4:00 PM GMT
Stamford Bridge — London
Referee: P. Dowd
Attendance: 41363
December 23, 2012 4:00 PM GMT
Stamford Bridge — London
Referee: P. Dowd
Attendance: 41363
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| Chelsea | 1.36 | 1.00 | 1.36 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 1.35 | 1.01 | 1.02 | 1.32 |
| Draw | 4.80 | 66.00 | 4.75 | 0.00 | 101.00 | 5.40 | 15.00 | 15.00 | 5.37 |
| Aston Villa | 8.00 | 81.00 | 9.00 | 0.00 | 501.00 | 7.80 | 50.00 | 150.00 | 9.01 |
Chelsea - Aston Villa Preview: Benitez looking for response after Club World Cup disappointment
The Blues lost to Corinthians to miss out on being crowned the world club champions, but are hoping to get their domestic hopes back on track against the in-form Villans
By Tom J Doyle
| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
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CHELSEA
 Cech Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Cole Mikel, Ramires Moses, Mata, Hazard Torres |
ASTON VILLA
 Guzan Lowton, Baker, Lichaj, Clark Ireland, Westwood, Holman, Bannan Weimann Benteke |
Gary Cahill, John Obi Mikel and Ramires are all available for Chelsea after returning from suspension, and will likely take up places in the starting XI for Rafa Benitez's side.
John Terry (knee) is back in training but has no return date yet, with Benitez unsure if the captain will be fit for any festive fixtures. Daniel Sturridge may miss out again, while Oriol Romeu (knee) is out until at least next June with a serious injury.
Gabriel Agbonlahor (thigh) should be fit in time to feature for Villa at Stamford Bridge, and Stephen Ireland is set to return to the first team after missing the win over Liverpool through illness.
However, Villa have a number of other players battling to be fit for Sunday's clash - Darren Bent (knee), Richard Dunne (groin), Ron Vlaar (calf) and Stiliyan Petrov (leukaemia) have no return dates as yet, while midfielder Craig Gardner (knee) is out until May.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
Chelsea's 7-1 victory over Aston Villa in 2010 was the Villans' biggest ever Premier League defeat.
- Aston Villa have only won once in their last 10 visits to Stamford Bridge, but that win came last season as the Villans claimed a surprise 3-1 victory.
- Rafael Benitez has only lost once in 12 matches against Aston Villa as a Premier League manager, winning seven and drawing four.
- Juan Mata (pictured, right) has scored four goals in his last five games in all competitions for Chelsea.
- The Blues have used 20 players in the Premier League this season, fewer than any other side in the division.
- Andreas Weimann has scored five goals in his last six games for Villa in all competitions.
- No other referee has given more penalties (five) this season than Phil Dowd, who will officiate the game on Sunday.
- Chelsea's Eden Hazard has 22 assists since the beginning of the 2011-12 season - more than any other player in the top five European leagues.
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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
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Chelsea FC 3-1 Aston Villa
- 19.16 %
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Chelsea FC 3-0 Aston Villa
- 11.09 %
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Chelsea FC 2-0 Aston Villa
- 9.47 %
| Premier League (EPL) | 11 May 2013 | Aston Villa 1 - Chelsea FC 2 |
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| Premier League (EPL) | 23 Dec 2012 | Chelsea FC 8 - Aston Villa 0 |
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| Premier League (EPL) | 31 Mar 2012 | Aston Villa 2 - Chelsea FC 4 |
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| Premier League (EPL) | 31 Dec 2011 | Chelsea FC 1 - Aston Villa 3 |
|
| Club Friendlies (FR) | 30 Jul 2011 | Aston Villa 0 - Chelsea FC 2 |
|
Chelsea FC
   |
||
| 15 May 2013 | Benfica 1 - Chelsea FC 2 | EL |
| 11 May 2013 | Aston Villa 1 - Chelsea FC 2 | EPL |
| 8 May 2013 | Chelsea FC 2 - Tottenham 2 | EPL |
| 5 May 2013 | Manchester United 0 - Chelsea FC 1 | EPL |
| 2 May 2013 | Chelsea FC 3 - Basel 1 | EL |
Aston Villa
   |
||
| 11 May 2013 | Aston Villa 1 - Chelsea FC 2 | EPL |
| 4 May 2013 | Norwich City 1 - Aston Villa 2 | EPL |
| 29 Apr 2013 | Aston Villa 6 - Sunderland 1 | EPL |
| 22 Apr 2013 | Manchester United 3 - Aston Villa 0 | EPL |
| 13 Apr 2013 | Aston Villa 1 - Fulham 1 | EPL |
| Returns: | Chelsea £13.64 |
|
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| Returns: | Draw £1010.00 |
|
Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 | |
| Returns: | Aston Villa £5010.00 |
|
Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
| 1 | Petr Cech | Goalkeeper |
| 2 | Branislav Ivanovic | Defender |
| 3 | Ashley Cole | Defender |
| 4 | David Luiz | Defender |
| 24 | Gary Cahill | Defender |
| 28 | César Azpilicueta | Defender |
| 8 | Frank Lampard | Midfielder |
| 13 | Victor Moses | Midfielder |
| 17 | Eden Hazard | Midfielder |
| 9 | Fernando Torres | Striker |
| 10 | Juan Mata | Striker |
| 22 | Ross Turnbull | Goalkeeper |
| 19 | Paulo Ferreira | Defender |
| - | Nathan Ake | Defender |
| 7 | Ramires | Midfielder |
| 11 | Oscar | Midfielder |
| 21 | Marko Marin | Midfielder |
| - | Lucas Piazon | Striker |
| 22 | Bradley Guzan | Goalkeeper |
| 6 | Ciaran Clark | Defender |
| 30 | Eric Lichaj | Defender |
| 32 | Nathan Baker | Defender |
| 34 | Matthew Lowton | Defender |
| 14 | Brett Holman | Midfielder |
| 15 | Ashley Westwood | Midfielder |
| 25 | Barry Bannan | Midfielder |
| 31 | Chris Herd | Midfielder |
| 20 | C. Benteke | Striker |
| 26 | Andreas Weimann | Striker |
| 1 | Shay Given | Goalkeeper |
| 27 | Joseph Bennett | Defender |
| 7 | Stephen Ireland | Midfielder |
| 8 | Karim El Ahmadi | Midfielder |
| 12 | Marc Albrighton | Midfielder |
| 16 | Fabian Delph | Midfielder |
| 21 | Jordan Nathaniel Bowery | Striker |
| David Luiz | |
| Position: | Defender |
| Squad Number: | 4 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
The Brazilian defender has been gaining more column inches of late as Benitez appears to be attempting to turn him into a deep-lying midfielder in the wake of Oriol Romeu's long-term knee injury. He performed well there against Monterrey in the Club World Cup semi-final, but may return to central defence on Sunday. The 25-year-old often treads a fine line between the fantastic and farcical in the back line, but will have to be on top form to prevent Christian Benteke from bullying him into submission. Luiz can afford no lapses in concentration, otherwise Chelsea's title challenge may be dealt a hammer blow.
| Andreas Weimann | |
| Position: | Striker |
| Squad Number: | 26 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 7 | 4 | 0 |
All eyes may be on Christian Benteke leading the line for Paul Lambert's side at the moment, but Andreas Weimann has also been in scintillating form. The Austrian netted twice against Norwich in the Capital One Cup as Villa saw off the Canaries in a 4-1 victory, while he combined brilliantly with Benteke against Liverpool and nabbed a goal himself as the Villans ran out 3-1 winners at Anfield. His ability to find time and space in the area will unsettle Gary Cahill and David Luiz, and his intelligence means Benteke will have good support at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea will be hurting after losing the Club World Cup to Corinthians in disappointing fashion, but Rafa Benitez will be urging his players to prove their quality with a return to form on the domestic front, having convincingly beaten Leeds in the Capital One Cup in midweek. However, Aston Villa will prove problematic after going unbeaten in six games, including last Saturday's impressive 3-1 victory at Liverpool. Nevertheless, the Blues should have enough quality to dispatch Paul Lambert's side and keep the chase on for the Premier League title, but with John Terry still likely to be out, it would not be surprising to see Villa leaving Stamford Bridge with a point or more.
Results
Times In GMT
Live
Final
scheduled
Suspended
Cancelled
Postponed
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Robin van Persie Striker Manchester United |
25 | 3 |
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Luis Suárez Striker Liverpool |
23 | 0 |
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Gareth Bale Midfielder Tottenham |
20 | 0 |
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C. Benteke Striker Aston Villa |
19 | 3 |
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Michu Midfielder Swansea City |
19 | 0 |
