PRE-MATCH BRIEFING: CHELSEA V ASTON VILLA
'T was the last game before Christmas, and club historian Rick Glanvill and club statistician Paul Dutton have been stirring to supply a comprehensive build-up to Sunday's game…
TALKING POINTS
On Sunday we re-enter the Premier League campaign after a three-match absence in cup competitions. Few teams below took of advantage our absence. We were 10 points shy of the leaders following the West Ham defeat and virtually any win will restore our third-place slot.
Chelsea now enter a phase of six league matches that could have a decisive effect on our season. They offer the possibility of improving our tally by 13 points on results against the same opposition last season.
Of these six, one was won (QPR at home) and two drawn (Norwich and Stoke away) in 2011/12. The remainder were defeats, including Aston Villa - winners at the Bridge for the first time since 2002.
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The festive programme can be a defining period and twice under Jose Mourinho - in 2004 and 2005 - the Blues achieved four league wins from four at this time of year.
Only two of the next nine games, from Sunderland on 8 December through to Southampton in the FA Cup 3rd round on 5 January, are to be staged at Stamford Bridge. Given the scheduling of this weekend's matches Chelsea may find themselves in seventh place with two games in hand before this game kicks off.
This is Villa's third successive away game and they have scored seven in the previous two.
Three days after this game, on a train-less Boxing Day, Chelsea travel to Norwich City for a three o'clock start, Villa entertain Spurs at 17.30, then Liverpool visit Stoke for a 19.45 match. West Ham's trip to Arsenal the same day has been postponed as a result of strike action over Bank Holiday pay.
Wednesday night's impressive 5-1 Capital One Cup win was the first time Chelsea have scored more than three at Elland Road, and retained our 100% cup success rate versus Leeds. The bad-tempered 1951/52 FA Cup second replay ended in the same scoreline but it was played at neutral Villa Park.
At the Bridge we have previously beaten the Whites 7-1 (1935), 6-0 (1933) and 5-0 (1984).
The Blues have now hit 16 goals in three Capital One Cup matches this season.
Before May Villa fans were fond of querying 'Have you won a European Cup?' at Stamford Bridge, having won the trophy themselves in 1982. They will have to chant that at other London clubs from now on.
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Barclays Premier League fixtures
Saturday
Wigan v Arsenal 12.45pm - Sky Sports
Manchester City v Reading 3pm
Newcastle v QPR 3pm
Southampton v Sunderland 3pm
Tottenham v Stoke 3pm
West Brom v Norwich 3pm
West Ham v Everton 3pm
Liverpool v Fulham 5.30pm - ESPN
Sunday
Swansea v Manchester United 1.30pm - Sky Sports
Chelsea v Aston Villa 4pm - Sky Sports
| Barclays Premier League table | ||||
| Top | Pld | Gd | Pts | |
| 1 | Man Utd | 17 | +19 | 42 |
| 2 | Man City | 17 | +18 | 36 |
| 3 | Chelsea | 16 | +11 | 29 |
| 4 | Tottenham | 17 | +5 | 29 |
| 5 | Arsenal | 17 | +13 | 27 |
| 6 | Everton | 17 | +7 | 27 |
| 7 | West Brom | 17 | +3 | 27 |
| 8 | Norwich | 17 | -6 | 25 |
| Bottom | ||||
| 13 | Fulham | 17 | -1 | 20 |
| 14 | Aston Villa | 17 | -9 | 18 |
| 15 | Newcastle | 17 | -7 | 17 |
| 16 | Sunderland | 17 | -6 | 16 |
| 17 | Southampton | 16 | -10 | 15 |
| 18 | Wigan | 17 | -14 | 15 |
| 19 | QPR | 17 | -15 | 10 |
| 20 | Reading | 17 | -15 | 9 |
Click on tabs above for more briefing.
