Chelsea vs Aston Villa head to head

Last season's fixture

Chelsea (4-3-3): Mendy; Azpilicueta (c), Christensen, Rudiger, Chilwell; Kante, Jorginho (Havertz 72), Mount; Hudson-Odoi, Giroud (Werner 72), PulisicUnused subs: Arrizabalaga, Thiago Silva, Tomori, Emerson, Kovacic, Gilmour, AbrahamBooked: Azpilicueta 45+1, Giroud 71, Kante 73Scorer: Giroud 34Head coach: Frank LampardAston Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Hause, Targett; Douglas Luiz, McGinn; Traore (Davis 87), Grealish (c), El Ghazi (Ramsey 81); WatkinsUnused subs: Heaton, Taylor, Engels, Guilbert, Elmohamady, Hourihane, NakambaBooked: El Ghazi 71Scorer: El Ghazi 50Head coach: Dean Smith

Our next Premier League win will be our 600th in the competition. Only Man Utd, with 689, have reached this milestone.

Since Tuchel’s first game in charge, only Manchester City (51) have won more Premier League points than Chelsea (45). Excluding the promoted sides, we have conceded the fewest goals in that run (14).

Jorginho has been closed down by an opposing player more often than any other player in the Premier League this season (160), with a league-high 130 of these coming while he was in possession of the ball.

Aston Villa are one of only three sides to beat Tuchel in the Premier League, when they won on the last day of the season at Villa Park. The other two losses, against West Brom and Arsenal, both came at the Bridge.

Possible milestones

Antonio Rudiger – 100th Premier League start

Cesar Azpilicueta, on his 32nd birthday, made his 300th Premier League appearance against Liverpool to become only the fourth Chelsea player to reach this landmark joining John Terry 492, Frank Lampard 429 and Petr Cech 333.

N’Golo Kante made his 150th Premier League start for the club in the same game.

Aston Villa stats

Last season Premier League - 11thFA Cup - Third roundLeague Cup - Fourth roundTop scorer all competitions: Ollie Watkins 16

Last season’s Premier League statsMost appearances: Martinez 38, Targett 38, McGinn 37, Watkins 37Most goals: Watkins 14, El Ghazi 10, Traore 7, Grealish 6Most assists: Grealish 10, Traore 6, McGinn 5, Watkins 5Most clean sheets: Martinez 15Red cards: Cash 1, Douglas Luiz 1, Mings 1, Watkins 1Most Yellow cards: McGinn 12, Douglas Luiz 8, Targett 7

Since the start of last season, only Ederson (21) and Edouard Mendy (18) have kept more Premier League clean sheets among goalkeepers than Emiliano Martinez (16). The Argentinean is not available for Saturday’s game because of quarantine rules.

Against Brentford in their last game, Carney Chukwuemeka, aged 17 years and 312 days, became the second-youngest player to start a Premier League game for Aston Villa, behind Gareth Barry who was aged 17 years and 76 days against Arsenal in May 1998.

Aston Villa have won three of their last five Premier League games and have scored two goals in each of their last four away games in the competition.

Aston Villa won half of their six Premier League games in London last season, as many as they’d managed in their previous 29 top-flight games in the capital.

Danny Ings has been involved in eight goals in his last nine Premier League starts (6 goals, 2 assists).

Dean Smith’s management record v Chelsea

Won: 1Drawn: 1Lost: 4

ASTON VILLA'S LAST PREMIER LEAGUE GAME

Saturday 28 August 2021Aston Villa 1 Brentford 1Team (4-1-4-1): Martinez; Cash, Konsa (c) (Hause 89), Tuanzebe, Targett; Douglas Luiz; Buendia, Chukwuemeka (Nakamba 63), Young (Watkins 79), El Ghazi; IngsScorer: Buendia 13

Villa's summer transfer window

IN

Leon Bailey - Bayer LeverkusenEmiliano Buendia - NorwichCaleb Chukwuemeka - NorthamptonDanny Ings - SouthamptonAxel Tuanzebe - Man Utd, loanAshley Young - Inter Milan

OUTJack Grealish - Man CityLouie Barry - Ipswich, loanAhmed El Mohamady - releasedFrederic Guilbert - Strasbourg, loanTom Heaton - Man UtdConor Hourihane - Sheff Utd, loanLovre Kalinic - Hajduk Split, loanNeil Taylor - releasedWesley - Club Brugge, loan

Discipline

Reece James is suspended for one match following his red card for handball against Liverpool.

In the Premier League, five yellow cards received before 19 league fixtures have been played will result in a one-match suspension in the competition.

Premier League bookings listChelsea: Mendy 1, Rudiger 1Aston Villa: Buendia 1, Cash 1, Douglas Luiz 1, El Ghazi 1, Ings 1, Martinez 1, Mings 1

Referee and VAR

Referee: Stuart AttwellVAR: Chris Kavanagh

Stuart Attwell is the referee for the third successive Chelsea v Aston Villa game. He was the official in both our Premier League games last season.