A strong run of form has seen fourth-place Villa open up a six-point gap to Tottenham in fifth, though Spurs do have two games in hand so Unai Emery's side know they need to keep the pressure on and they can do that with a win at home to Chelsea.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea Betting Tips
- Aston Villa to win @ 5/4 with bet365
- Leon Bailey anytime goalscorer @ 12/5 with bet365
- Douglas Luiz to have over 0.5 shots on target @ 2/1 with bet365
All odds are courtesy of bet365, correct at the time of publishing and subject to change.
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Villa to boost Champions League hopes
Villa head into this clash on a five-game unbeaten run in all competitions (one on penalties), and they should have too much quality for a Chelsea side that were thrashed 5-0 at Arsenal on Tuesday.
The Blues have now lost back-to-back matches, having suffered a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finals prior to that Emirates debacle, and they have won just two of their last 11 away top-flight assignments.
Mauricio Pochettino's troops have struggled at the back, conceding 32 goals from 16 away fixtures in the league and failing to keep a clean sheet in their last 16 road fixtures in all competitions.
Villa have been in excellent attacking form, scoring a joint league-high 43 goals at home in the top flight, and that potency in the final third can fire them to a crucial three points.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea Tip 1: Aston Villa to win @ 5/4 with bet365
Bailey to continue fine scoring form
Villa have plenty of attacking options to choose from, and one of those is Jamaica international Leon Bailey, who has 10 league goals this season and sits behind only Ollie Watkins in the Villans' scoring charts.
The 26-year-old has netted in each of his last two top-flight appearances, against Arsenal and Bournemouth, and he will be relishing the chance to take on this fragile Chelsea defence.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea Tip 2: Leon Bailey anytime goalscorer @ 12/5 with bet365
Returning Brazilian to hit the target
Villa will have Brazilian international, Douglas Luiz, available following his two-match suspension, and his return can help deliver a vital victory for the West Midlands outfit.
The 25-year-old's performances in midfield have attracted interest from other clubs, most notably Arsenal, and failure to finish in the top four this season could spark his exit from the club.
It is, therefore, crucial that Villa keep up their winning form and Luiz can get at least one shot on target against a Chelsea team, that have been cut apart too many times.
The Brazilian has had 47 attempts in the league, 17 of those on target, and he can test the goalkeeper's palms again on Saturday.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea Tip 3: Douglas Luiz to have over 0.5 shots on target @ 2/1 with bet365