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Aston Villa logo
Premier League
Mar 15, 2014 at 5.30pm UK
 
Chelsea logo

1-0

Delph (82')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Preview: Aston Villa vs. Chelsea

Sports Mole previews the Premier League clash between Aston Villa and Chelsea at Villa Park as the Blues look to maintain their healthy lead at the top of the table.

Cheltenham punters may want to steer clear of any tips given to them by Jose Mourinho this week.

His insistence on league leaders Chelsea remaining the 'little horse' in the Premier League title race suggests that he knows very little about the racing world.

The Blues, who hold a seven-point lead over Liverpool at the top of the table, are now odds-on favourites with every major bookmaker to win their first domestic championship since 2010.

They have, though, played three games more than Manchester City, who, while nine points back, are reasonably well positioned to mount a late charge and perhaps pip Chelsea at the final fence.

Mourinho will be hoping that Chelsea can leave the pack behind by continuing an unbeaten Premier League run which stretches back 14 games when they travel to Aston Villa on Saturday evening.

With Fernando Torres out injured, Samuel Eto'o is likely to lead the line despite only being gifted half as many goals as Demba Ba in their 4-0 thrashing of Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge.

Both Oscar and Willian could be recalled to the starting XI if Mourinho opts to name a more attacking lineup, with Andre Schurrle's place in jeopardy despite his recent hat-trick against Fulham.

Ashley Cole is back in the squad following a knee injury, but Cesar Azpilicueta is again expected to be retained at left-back and so Cole could join fellow England international Frank Lampard on the bench.

Villa have had a two-week break since their Christian Benteke-inspired 4-1 victory over Paul Lambert's former club Norwich City, which was only their fourth top-flight win on home soil this season.

The Scotsman has no new injury concerns, with Libor Kozak, Jores Okore and Charles N'Zogbia long-term absentees, and therefore could name nearly the same starting XI that beat the Canaries.

Andreas Weimann and Gabriel Agbonlahor will likely form part of a forward three alongside Benteke, but Chelsea loanee Ryan Bertrand is ineligible, and so Ciaran Clark could fill in at left-back.

Recent form

Villa: WLDLLW

Chelsea: WWDWLD

Possible starting lineups

Villa: Guzan; Bacuna, Vlaar, Baker, Clark; El Ahmadi, Westwood, Delph; Weimann, Agbonlahor, Benteke

Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Matic, Ramires; Willian, Oscar, Hazard; Eto'o

Sports Mole says: 0-2


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Tottenham head coach Tim Sherwood on the touchline during the Premier League match against Stoke on December 29, 2013
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool76011321118
2Manchester CityMan City7520178917
3Arsenal7520156917
4Chelsea6411157813
5Aston Villa6411129313
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle733187112
7Fulham7322108211
8Tottenham HotspurSpurs6312125710
9Brentford73131313010
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton623110829
11Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest62316519
12West Ham UnitedWest Ham72231011-18
13Bournemouth7223810-28
14Manchester UnitedMan Utd621358-37
15Leicester CityLeicester7133912-36
16Everton7124715-85
17Ipswich TownIpswich7043614-84
18Crystal Palace7034510-53
19Southampton7016415-111
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves7016921-121


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