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Aston Villa vs Chelsea Preview: Tips, Odds, and Prediction

Date: 22 February 2025 Kick-off (UK Time): 17:30 Venue: Villa Park Aston Villa host Chelsea in a Premier League blockbuster at Villa Park on Saturday, 22 February 2025. The visitors are chasing a Champions League spot while the home team are in the race for a Europa League spot. This could be an ideal clash for Premier League betting fans to sink their teeth into!

Thierry Henry
Nigel Naicker

Last Updated: 2025-02-13

Chad Nagel

6 minutes read

Ollie Watkins and Moises Caicedo

Ollie Watkins and Moises Caicedo//Getty Images

Aston Villa host Chelsea in a Premier League tie that could be a very entertaining match at Villa Park. The visitors trounced the home team 3-nil at Stamford Bridge earlier this season with goals from Nicolas Jackson, Enzo Fernandez and Cole Palmer giving Chelsea the victory. 

Villa have stuttered in the league lately but that could be down to navigating the Champions League fixtures and the league together. Unai Emery’s side are still within touching distance of a European spot and will need a positive result to ensure they keep the pace with the chasing pack. 

The Blues are fighting for a European place themselves, in the coveted Champions League and are aiming for a return to the tournament.

Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability

  1. Home: 9/4 (3.25) – 30.8%

  2. Draw: 5/2 (3.50) – 28.6%

  3. Away: 23/20 (2.15) – 40.6%

  4. Odds courtesy of Betway, subject to change.

Head-to-Head Record

Last Five Meetings

 

  1. 01/12/24 - Chelsea 3-0 Aston Villa 

  2. 27/04/24 - Aston Villa 2-2 Chelsea 

  3. 24/09/23 - Chelsea 0-1 Aston Villa 

  4. 01/04/23 - Chelsea 0-2 Aston Villa

  5. 11/12/22 - Aston Villa 1-0 Chelsea 

Aston Villa Current Form – WWDDL

Emery’s side have been inconsistent in the league this term. Juggling Europe and the Premier League is difficult, and they could be feeling the effects. The Villians were unbeaten in four games leading up to their most recent shock defeat to relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers. 

Ollie Watkins

Ollie Watkins//Getty Images

Key Players To Watch

  • Lucas Digne: The Frenchman has become one of the ever-present figures for Villa this season. The left-back has a cultured left foot and has provided three assists in the Premier League so far.
  • Morgan Rogers: An exciting midfielder, Rogers can glide past several defenders at a time. The Englishman also has ten goal contributions in 23 Premier League appearances this season. 
  • Emilio Martinez: The former Arsenal shot-stopper has made Villa Park his home. The Argentinian has become one of the best goalkeepers in the world and is a key figure for club and country. 

Aston Villa Team News

Villa have several injury concerns ahead of the Chelsea visit. Defenders Tyrone Mings (Knee) and Pau Torres (Foot) are both out. Ross Barkley is unavailable due to a calf strain and will miss the game against his former club. Adding to their woes, both Ollie Watkins and Matty Cash are nursing muscle injuries. 

Chelsea Current Form – DDWLW

It has been an inconsistent run of form from the Blues over their previous five fixtures. Two victories, two draws and a loss has left the door open for the chasing pack to close the gap on the final Champions League spot. 

Cole Palmer of Chelsea

Cole Palmer//Getty Images

Key Players To Watch

  • Cole Palmer: The former Manchester City man has become the poster boy at Stamford Bridge. The silky technician has been a revelation since joining the Blues and has an impressive 20 goal contributions in 24 league appearances. 
  • Pedro Neto: The Portuguese winger has struggled with injuries in the Premier League but has managed to string together a consistent run of form in a Chelsea shirt. Neto is a nightmare to defend against and can breeze past defenders with ease. 
  • Moises Caicedo: After a difficult first season at the club, Moises Caicedo has reimagined his form that made Chelsea spend the big bucks on the defensive midfielder. The Ecuadorian has become a key cog in the Blues midfield. 

Chelsea Team News

Defenders Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile are both out. Romeo Lavia is a doubt after suffering a knock. Nicolas Jackson has a hamstring strain while Marc Guiu is also unavailable due to a leg injury. 

Predicted Line-Ups

  1. Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Garcia, Konsa, Kamara, Digne, Bailey, Tielemans, McGinn, Rogers, Ramsey, Malen 

  2. Chelsea (4-3-3): Sanchez, Gusto, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella, Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Neto, Palmer, Sancho, Nkunku

Suggested Bets

The Premier League betting insights mentioned above will give you good value to place your wagers. Check out these suggested bets below; if you’re interested to bet on football. 

  1. First Half Over 1.5 Goals: As mentioned earlier, this should be a fiercely competed clash between two quality outfits. Expect them to go toe-to-toe from the first minute. (8/5 with Stake)

  2. Both Teams to Score: Both Villa and Chelsea have goals in them. The game should be end-to-end at Villa Park. (3/5 with Betway)

Value Bets

In our suggested and value bets, we included some of the best betting sports betting sites.

  1. Over 2.5 Goals: Expect goals galore in the clash at Villa Park. These are two teams with serious firepower upfront. (37/25 with 1xBet)

  2. Chelsea to Win Either Half: The Blues have to maintain their fourth place in the league and with Manchester City and Newcastle not far off, they will come flying out the blocks on Saturday. (2/1 with Stake)

Prediction: Chelsea and Both Teams to Score 

It is a difficult clash to call at Villa Park. Both teams have individuals who can turn up on the day and hurt you. Considering the reverse fixture and Chelsea’s aspirations of a Champions League birth, back the Blues to win here with both teams finding the net for extra value. 

Thierry Henry
Nigel NaickerSports Writer

With a decade of sports writing expertise, Nigel Naicker has crafted compelling content across football leagues like the Premier League and UEFA Champions League, as well as cricket and UFC. A passionate storyteller since 2014, Nigel joins the SportsBoom team, ready to deliver insightful narratives across various sports disciplines.

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