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Chelsea at Aston Villa: Three things to look for on Championship Sunday

By Gabe Henderson

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 28: N'Golo Kante of Chelsea battles for possession with John McGinn of Aston Villa during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on December 28, 2020 in London, England. The match will be played without fans, behind closed doors as a Covid-19 precaution. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 28: N'Golo Kante of Chelsea battles for possession with John McGinn of Aston Villa during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on December 28, 2020 in London, England. The match will be played without fans, behind closed doors as a Covid-19 precaution. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 28: N’Golo Kante of Chelsea battles for possession with John McGinn of Aston Villa during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on December 28, 2020 in London, England. The match will be played without fans, behind closed doors as a Covid-19 precaution. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 28: N’Golo Kante of Chelsea battles for possession with John McGinn of Aston Villa during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on December 28, 2020 in London, England. The match will be played without fans, behind closed doors as a Covid-19 precaution. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /

Chelsea travels to Aston Villa for Championship Sunday with a lot to still play for on the season. Thomas Tuchel will square off against Dean Smith and his staff, including Chelsea legend John Terry, for the first time as his team looks to achieve its season’s goals. The Villains managed to escape Stamford Bridge with a point back in December, but can they best the Blues once again? Aston Villa has certainly given Chelsea fits since coming back to the Premier League, the return of fans to Villa Park will boost that confidence. Both sides are coming off crucial wins over Leicester City and Tottenham respectively, and will be looking to end their Premier League seasons on a high note.

Here are three things to look for in Sunday’s contest at Villa Park:

1. Fitness decisions

Part of the reasons Frank Lampard and Co. failed to secure three points back in December against the same opponents is because they decided to field a heavily rotated team. That squad included the likes of Olivier Giroud, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger. While the latter few may seem like no brainers now—and shoe-ins for the starting XI—that wasn’t always the case. Many of those individuals didn’t see the pitch much under the former manager, so the chemistry was shaky at best.

This could be the case in some key positions on Sunday, as well.

Andreas Christensen will return to the squad for the first time since his first half injury against Manchester City. It’s unlikely he starts, but one never knows with Tuchel at the helm. Further, Mateo Kovacic will be given the green light for a second consecutive match. He came on to replace N’Golo Kante against Leicester City, making his first appearance since suffering a knock in training ahead of the Real Madrid tie. Kovacic made a few mistakes in Tuesday’s Premier League bout, but looked solid overall. If you’re one to bet, bank on Kovacic being in the starting XI.

The man Kovacic replaced midweek is a game time decision at Villa Park. Kante could return to training as early as tomorrow and if so, could feature against the Villains. If there are any concerns, it’d be best to let him rest ahead of May 29’s all-important clash. Another player whose status is unknown is Kai Havertz. Havertz picked up a small injury in the build up to Tuesday’s match, forcing him to miss out against the Foxes. The Blues have a plethora of options up top, so this injury isn’t as concerning as others. Regardless, it’s something to keep an eye on.

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