Boxing Day action in the Premier League will see third-place Chelsea visit Aston Villa on Sunday as part of Matchday 19. The Blues enter the game at 11-5-2 and six points behind league-leaders Manchester City, while Villa have won three of their last five and are in 10th place with 22 points. Steven Gerrad’s team finds themselves five points behind the top six entering the match.
Here’s are storylines, how you can watch the match and more:
How to watch and odds
- Date: Sunday, Dec. 26 | Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Villa Park — Birmingham, England
- TV: NBC and Universo | Live stream: fuboTV (try for free)
- Odds: Aston Villa +430; Draw +270; Chelsea -145 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Featured Game | Aston Villa vs. Chelsea
Storylines
Aston Villa: Villa are still without Leon Bailey due to his thigh injury while players doubtful for the match, include Anwar El Ghazi. Steven Gerrard’s team enter having won four of six games and know they can create some danger against a struggling Chelsea defense even without some key pieces. The Blues didn’t concede in their last Premier League match against Wolves but did in their previous six matches in all competitions. Chelsea are a bit slow to react and leaving space between the midfield and the backline, so look for the hosts to try and exploit that on the counter.
Chelsea: Romelu Lukaku could be set for a return to the starting XI after two months, dealing with injuries and COVID-19, while Callum Hudson-Odoi could also be back after recovering from the virus, according to club manager Thomas Tuchel. Meanwhile, Ben Chilwell tested positive initially, now tests negative but will be unavailable for the game, Tuchel said.
Prediction
Chelsea concede once again but rescue a point thanks to Christian Pulisic. Pick: Aston Villa 1, Chelsea 1
