Aston Villa take on the visitors Chelsea in the round 26 match of English Premier League. The match will be played on Saturday, February 22nd at Villa Park (Birmingham).
Aston Villa faces an unfamiliar workload. The Villans finished seventh in the Premier League in 2023 under Unai Emery, who had taken charge midway through the season. That secured them a return to European competition, and they started their UEFA Europa Conference League campaign in the summer qualifiers, making it all the way to the knockout rounds in the spring. Despite the additional fixtures, they managed to secure a top-four spot in the league, finishing just ahead of Tottenham by a couple of points. That achievement guaranteed them a long-awaited Champions League debut under Emery. They started well in Europe but lost momentum in the fall. Still, they secured qualification for the Round of 16 and knocked Tottenham out of the FA Cup. However, their league form has suffered, and they have now dropped out of the top four. Strengthened by the funds from Jhon Durán’s move to Saudi Arabia, they were still held to a 2-2 draw by Ipswich. Then, in midweek, they played out another 2-2 draw, this time against Liverpool. With a congested fixture schedule, Aston Villa has struggled to balance their commitments on multiple fronts.
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Under Todd Boehly’s ownership, The Blues have gone from Champions League winners to a club that failed to even qualify for European competition. Last season, they attempted to reclaim their status by signing numerous new players and appointing Mauricio Pochettino as manager. However, despite guiding them to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League and reaching the EFL Cup Final, which they lost, he was dismissed after just one season. His replacement, Enzo Maresca, has overseen a mixed campaign. While an early EFL Cup exit was a disappointment, they were dominant in the Conference League, winning every group-stage match, and at one point climbed as high as second in the Premier League table. However, their recent form has been poor, with several setbacks putting their top-four hopes at risk. To make matters worse, they were knocked out of the FA Cup by Brighton in February. Then, in the league, they suffered another humiliating defeat to Brighton, losing 3-0. With defensive vulnerabilities and inconsistent performances, Chelsea’s struggles continue to mount.
In 2024, Chelsea won at home, while both meetings in Birmingham ended in draws. Both teams possess strong attacking qualities but struggle defensively. Expect a high-scoring game – the best bet is Over 3.0 Goals.
Prediction for the match: Over 3.0 scored goals.
