Graham Potter's Blues hope to avoid getting fooled on April Fools day when they face Unai Emery's Villans in the Premier League this weekend.
Graham Potter’s Chelsea had Blues fans in demolition mode for a minute until their three-match winning streak was ended by Everton.
The Blues have looked more and more like a mid-table team each week in the Premier League until about a month ago, when the Londoner picked up their first Premier League win of the year against Leeds United.
Chelsea face a tricky test against the high-flying Aston Villa who are unbeaten in their last four matches in the Premier League, picking up three wins in the process.
Chelsea will need to win on Saturday to keep their hopes of playing European football next season alive.
Although, the Blues are currently still in the Champions League and might not need to push their way into Europe in the summit.
But that will only ever matter if they manage to win the Champions League like they did in 2021.
For Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, a win against Chelsea will see the Villans leapfrog Chelsea on the Premier League table with both teams currently on the same points (38).
As Pulse Sports continues to build up to April Fool's day fixtures in the Premier League this weekend, here are 10 interesting facts you should know ahead of Chelsea vs Aston Villa
10 Key facts you should know ahead of Chelsea vs Aston Villa
1, Chelsea have won NINE of their last 11 Premier League games against Aston Villa (D1 L1), with the only defeat in that run coming at Villa Park on the final day of the 2020-21 campaign.
2, Aston Villa have won just one of their last 17 Premier League AWAY games against Chelsea (D4 L12), losing six of the last seven since a 3-1 victory in December 2011.
3, Chelsea have won two of their last three Premier League games (D1), as many wins as in their previous 15 combined (D6 L7).
Indeed, the Blues have scored as many goals in their last three leagues matches (6) as they had in their previous 12.
4, Aston Villa are UNBEATEN in their last FOUR Premier League games (W3 D1), keeping a clean sheet in each of those three wins. They last went five without defeat in the competition in December 2020, with the last game in that sequence coming at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea (1-1).
5, Only Manchester City (584) and Arsenal (423) have had more open play sequences with 10+ passes than Chelsea (422) this season in the Premier League, while the Blues allow their opponents on average a league-low 9.4 passes per defensive action, highlighting their intense press out of possession.
6, Since Unai Emery’s first away Premier League game in charge of Aston Villa (a 2-1 win at Brighton in November), only Man City (16) and Arsenal (15) have picked up more points on the road than the Villans (13 – W4 D1 L1).
7, Chelsea’s Premier League games have seen the fewest goals this season (57 – 29 GF, 28 GA), with Stamford Bridge also seeing the fewest of any venue (26 goals in total).
8, Mason Mount scored both of Chelsea’s goals in their 2-0 win at Villa Park in the reverse fixture. He could become the fifth Chelsea player to score home and away against Aston Villa in a single Premier League campaign and just the second Englishman to do so after Frank Lampard in 2012-13.
9, Following his goal at West Ham, Ollie Watkins became the first Aston Villa player to score in FOUR successive away Premier League appearances since Dwight Yorke in March-May 1998.
A goal in this game would see him become the first Villa player to net in five successive Premier League appearances on the road.
10, Ollie Watkins has either scored (8) or assisted (3) in 11 of his last 15 Premier League games for Aston Villa, although he’s only made more appearances against Leeds (6) than he has against Chelsea (5) without scoring in the competition.
Stats and Data provided by Opta.
Related content
16:23 - 25.03.2023
STARS ABROAD Fast-rising Kenyan midfielder scores for Chelsea in friendly
The match also marked the return to action of N'Golo Kante.
18:13 - 28.03.2023
TRANSFERS Tuchel plotting reunion with Chelsea star, plans to bring him to Bayern
Chelsea's former manager Thomas Tuchel has taken an interest in some individuals he worked with at Chelsea for recruitment at Bayern Munich.
11:29 - 28.03.2023
PREMIER LEAGUE Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante set to agree new deal
Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante is reportedly in the ‘final stages’ of reaching an agreement on fresh terms at Stamford Bridge.
06:29 - 28.03.2023
PREMIER LEAGUE Chelsea star signs contract extension till 2026
Chelsea have extended the contract of goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli until 2026
15:15 - 27.03.2023
Chelsea host Ramadan Open Iftar at Stamford Bridge
Muslims gathered at Stamford Bridge last night for Open Iftar.
17:10 - 26.03.2023
FOOTBALL Shevchenko urges patience with Mudryk after slow Chelsea start
Blues boss Graham Potter has always preferred Raheem Sterling and Joao Felix in a front-three formation.
15:07 - 26.03.2023
TRANSFERS Man City set to battle Manchester United for Chelsea star
Manchester City are said to be in a race with Manchester United for a top midfield target.
14:26 - 25.03.2023
PREMIER LEAGUE Chelsea star pulls out of England squad due injury
Chelsea star returns after suffering minor injury in action for England.
14:25 - 25.03.2023
PREMIER LEAGUE Kante ramps up injury recovery in Chelsea friendly
Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante participated in a friendly game on Friday as he steps up his recovery from a long-term injury.