Villa Park will host one of Premier League Matchweek 26's most crucial matches. Aston Villa, 9th with 39 points, aims to close the gap to the top six on one side. Chelsea, meanwhile, is fighting to stay in the running for a Champions League spot, 6th with 43 points.
Follow Playing for 90 on X (Twitter).
With four points the difference between the two teams, Saturday's match could very well be a turning point for both sides. The result could determine what they do with the rest of the season, especially for Chelsea, with pressure building down the stretch.
Aston Villa's search for consistency
Aston Villa started the season full of promises but has been inconsistent. Unai Emery's men have not been able to maintain a good run of results, and the battle for European qualification has become a much more difficult endeavor.
Despite the setbacks, the Spanish manager remains upbeat about the progress of the team and emphasized strengthening their overall shape.
"Progressively, again, trying to build a team within our framework in an attempt to make it more solid. Strategically, at first, trying to know each player's talent, personality, skills, and even his personal motivation and willingness to be heroes," Emery stated.
The coach also spoke of the mistakes that have been weakening the team and vowed to maintain parity in order not to fall behind tougher opponents.
"There's the mistakes when we're visibly taking apart everybody, some lost passes when we're building our play, some one-on-ones we are not winning. I'm plainly not punishing. It's where we can put together our notion, our football, and our framework to strengthen us. That is always a first aim on my part because I believe with doing this way, we shall win more matches than we lost," Emery explained.
Adding to their difficulties, Aston Villa also comes to the game with serious injury issues. Ezri Konsa and Leon Bailey were subjected to late fitness tests, and their status is still a doubt. In the meantime, defender Axel Disasi is unavailable to face his parent club, Chelsea.
Chelsea in crisis with no margin for error
While Aston Villa tries to level out its campaign, Chelsea must get points in order to qualify for the Champions League. Winning these types of matches is now imperative. Enzo Maresca, the Blues' coach, said that he is not in the league in order to "survive" but to return Chelsea to where it is supposed to be – among the elite.
"I was clear from day one. I’m not here to survive. I’m here to win games and to take this club back to competing for titles. I’ve said it many times," Maresca stated.
Chelsea had a week of preparation, a rare luxury in the congested English soccer calendar. The team, however, has not been immune from injuries. Noni Madueke, who took a knock in the Brighton match, is out and will not return until after the next international break.
Maresca acknowledged that injuries have been the main culprit for the team's plight this season.
"We play the same sporting director, the same owners, the same players and the same manager as they did two months ago when they were second in the league. The only variable is that we're dealing with a lot of injuries, and that has affected the level of the team to a minimum," the manager added.
Chelsea have spent most of the season in the top four, but with only 13 games remaining, the margin for error is slim to none.
"We've said it so many times that we've been on the verge of spending the entire season in the top four. Now, with 13 games left, our clear target is to finish in the top four. We'll do all we can to do that, knowing that our recent poor performances have been due to injuries. We'll keep pushing for wins, no matter what issues we face," Maresca added.