In the second from last weekend of this season’s Barclays English Premier League, Aston Villa will host Chelsea FC at Villa Park on Saturday.
Villa, who are currently at the 13th position in the League, have seen a late surge in the premier league table as they rose from the relegation places to their current secure position.
Most of this performance can be attributed to their forwards Christian Benteke and the in-form Gabriel Agbonlahor. The Villans enter this match on a high after two back-to-back victories during the last two weekends, which included a 6-1 demolition of Sunderland at home.
Chelsea still have the pressure of securing a top four position, however they will feel comfortable at the moment sitting at the third spot in the league table above Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, with whom they drew 2-2 in a midweek clash.
Manager Rafa Benitez will look to rest a few key players keeping in mind the impending UEFA Europa League final against Benfica on Wednesday night.
He has confirmed that club legend Frank Lampard will be starting the match this weekend, who at 201 goals, continues his search for the one goal which will bring him equal to the record of Bobby Tambling, who is the club’s leading goalscorer at 202 goals.
Fireworks can be expected in this match, as the last time the two teams met in the league in December, Chelsea smashed 8 goals past the hapless Villans.
Whether history is repeated is yet to be seen. A win in this match will take Chelsea, without any question, into the Champions League next year.
Probable line-ups:
Aston Villa: Guzan; Lowton, Baker, Vlaar, Bennet; Delph, Westwood, Sylla; Agbonlahor, Benteke, Weimann
Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, Terry, Luiz, Cole; Ramires, Lampard; Hazard, Mata, Oscar; Ba