Chelsea news

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca will watch Saturday’s clash with Aston Villa from the stands rather than the technical area, serving a one-match touchline suspension after yet another booking for dissent. Yet the Italian is not regretful for his behaviour; instead, he has struck a defiant tone, insisting he is "proud" if his players are mirroring his intensity on the sidelines.

How to watch the Premier League match between Chelsea and Aston Villa, as well as kick-off time and team news.

Roman Abramovich has assembled a formidable legal team as a protracted court battle in Jersey continues to block the release of billions of pounds from the sale of Chelsea, funds that were pledged for victims of the war in Ukraine. While the £5.3bn dispute over frozen assets on the island remains unresolved, Abramovich is refusing to bow to mounting political pressure to immediately release the money.

As we head into Christmas, it's time to review the Premier League season so far. Each side has played 17 games out of 38 and we've got a good idea of who will be fighting for what this year. Arsenal boast a two-point lead at the top from Manchester City and a further one from Aston Villa, while Wolves already seem destined for relegation at a Derby-esque pace.

Cole Palmer has been advised not to look too far ahead at Chelsea, with Blues legend Frank Leboeuf telling GOAL that the England international has only enjoyed a “two-year career”. It has been suggested that the talented playmaker could one day attract interest from the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona, but he has been told to focus on maximising the potential of both himself and his trophy-hungry colleagues at Stamford Bridge.

Festive football rarely disappoints, and this year will be no different. Goals are likely over the next couple of weeks.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has pinpointed why the Blues are unlikely to win the Premier League title this season, as he also reflected on his "worst 48 hours" remarks following the win over Everton on December 13. After the victory over the Toffees, the Italian manager stated he just endured the "worst 48 hours" since he moved to Stamford Bridge in 2024.

Coventry City and Southampton have both been charged by the Football Association (FA) following the unsavoury scenes at the end of their 1-1 draw in the Championship on Saturday afternoon. An ugly melee broke out between both sets of players and club staff, with Sky Blues manager Frank Lampard later apologising for his part in the scuffle at St. Mary’s.

Chelsea have received a huge boost ahead of their crunch Premier League clash with Aston Villa after manager Enzo Maresca confirmed Estevao and Liam Delap are both available for Saturday’s game at Stamford Bridge. The Blues are looking to stretch their three-match unbeaten streak when they lock horns with Unai Emery’s visitors, who have won their last 10 fixtures in all competitions.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has revealed the reason he wouldn't swap Cole Palmer for Morgan Rogers ahead of Aston Villa's Boxing Day clash at Stamford Bridge. Unai Emery's side make the trip to the capital in a bid to extend their winning run to eight matches following their 2-1 victory over Manchester United at Villa Park last weekend, a result that keeps the Villans in the title race.

Enzo Maresca has responded to transfer speculation linking Chelsea with a move for Antoine Semenyo. The Bournemouth ace is being courted by a number of Premier League sides ahead of the January transfer window with the Ghana star's fine form for the Cherries a key reason behind interest in his services from a number of the division's big hitters this winter.

Mikel Arteta admitted it was "emotionally tough" to process Crystal Palace’s stoppage-time equaliser, before Arsenal steadied themselves to edge through on penalties in a breathless Carabao Cup quarter-final at the Emirates Stadium. After 90 minutes the game finished level at 1-1, but the Gunners held their nerve to win the shootout 8-7, with Kepa Arrizabalaga emerging as the decisive figure.

As we reach Christmas and approach the midway point in the Premier League season, the time has come to reflect on the first half of a campaign that has delivered drama and unexpected twists in abundance. It's also the opportune moment to assess those players who completed a transfer to, or within, the English top-flight back in the summer, with a decent sample size of games now under their belts.