(Football news) The Blues have only five points from five league games under Mauricio Pochettino, while their visitors will be looking to break into the top six with a second straight win in England’s top flight.
Chelsea hired Mauricio Pochettino with the new season in mind, after a disappointing campaign in which they finished 12th in the Premier League with 44 points, their lowest haul in the Premier League era, and set out for quick improvement this term, but the Blues have once again had to endure a slow start.
They earned a point against Liverpool at home, drawing 1-1 thanks to Axel Disasi’s equaliser, only to lose 3-1 away to London rivals West Ham United the following week, as Michail Antonio restored their hosts’ lead after Carney Chukwuemeka’s first-half equaliser and Lucas Paqueta sealed the home victory from the penalty spot in injury time.
The Blues did then record their first competitive success under their new manager, defeating newly-promoted Luton Town 3-0 at Stamford Bridge due to a brace from Raheem Sterling and a goal from Nicolas Jackson, before heading into the international break on the back of another defeat.
The first half of their match at home to Nottingham Forest ended goalless, but after Anthony Elanga quickly opened the scoring early in the second period, Chelsea were unable to find a leveller and came away empty-handed, before returning to action last Sunday away at Bournemouth and coming away with another disappointing result as the spoils were shared in a goalless stalemate.
Chelsea are in the midst of their first season without European football since the 2016-17 season, but with only five points from five games under Pochettino, the London club will know they must quickly turn their form around, beginning at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, to avoid falling further behind the leading pack at this stage.
Aston Villa will look to build on a much more positive start to their first full season under Unai Emery, having picked up nine points thus far, despite the campaign beginning in dismal fashion as they suffered a 5-1 thrashing away at Newcastle on the opening day, despite Moussa Diaby drawing them level at a goal apiece early on.
Things for Villa would quickly get better as they recorded their first league victories against Everton and Burnley, winning 4-0 and 3-1, respectively, with goals from John McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Leon Bailey, and John Duran in the former and a brace from Matty Cash and a goal from Diaby in the latter. They also easily defeated Hibernian in the Europa Conference League playoff round, winning 8-0 over the course of two legs to advance to the group stage.
After a difficult trip to Liverpool, where they lost 3-0 thanks to goals from Dominik Szoboszlai, Mohamed Salah, and a Matty Cash own goal, Emery’s team headed into the international break on the heels of consecutive league victories. However, they rebounded last weekend, coming from behind to defeat Crystal Palace at Villa Park, as Duran only tied the game at 1-1 in the 87th minute before Luiz and Bailey scored deep into injury time.
Villa will turn their attention back to the Premier League after their Europa Conference League group opener away at Legia Warsaw, where they lost 3-2 despite twice drawing even through Duran and Lucas Digne, and will seek to make it back-to-back three-point hauls and four from their first six games on their trip to Stamford Bridge on Sunday in an effort to move up from their current position in seventh place.
Chelsea Form in Premier League
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Aston Villa Form in Premier League
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