Aston Villa v Chelsea
Venue: Villa Park Date: Saturday, 21 February Kick-off: 1245 GMT
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Villa striker Emile Heskey and midfielder James Milner are battling to be fit for the key game at Villa Park.
Heskey has an Achilles problem which he aggravated playing for England in Spain, while Milner is trying to overcome a thigh injury.
Chelsea defender Ashley Cole is banned, while Alex (ankle) and Ricardo Carvalho (hamstring) are doubtful.
Branislav Ivanovic or Michael Mancienne could therefore partner John Terry, who is back in the squad after suspension.
Aston Villa (from): Friedel, Guzan, Gardner, Davies, Knight, L Young, Shorey, Milner, Petrov, Barry, Sidwell, A Young, Osbourne, Salifou, Agbonlahor, Heskey, Carew, Delfouneso, Harewood.
Chelsea (from): Cech, Hilario, Taylor, Ferreira, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Alex, Mancienne, Lampard, Terry, Mikel, Ballack, Deco, Kalou, Malouda, Quaresma, Anelka, Drogba, Stoch, Belletti.
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill:
"Chelsea are the only side who have outplayed us this season.
It's make or break for Chelsea - O'Neill
"They played excellently on that day and you would never have foreseen the problems they have encountered.
"In reality they have not been as bad as people have made them out to be.
"To be two points ahead of them at this stage is testament to our side."
Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink:
"We are 10 points down on Manchester United (in the Premier League) which will be difficult, but we must and will give it a try.
"We're also in the Champions League and FA Cup which is why it's a challenge.
"I'm not just here to pass the time until the end of the season - that's not what's in my mind."
Guus Hiddick begins his tenure in charge of Chelsea with a tough top-four showdown, away to Aston Villa. The Russia national coach becomes the seventh foreign manager at Chelsea in the Premier League era; no other club has had that many overseas bosses in the period since this league was inaugurated in 1992.
Victory for Aston Villa will draw them level on points with second placed Liverpool; three points for Chelsea will see them climb back above Villa into third.
Aston Villa against Chelsea is the 250th fixture of this Premier League season.
Martin O'Neill's Midlanders are second in the Premier League's "Form" table with 16 points out of 18; Chelsea are ninth with eight points.
Both these have lost four league games this term. Only one of Villa's was against a top-half club (Chelsea); all four of Chelsea's were against clubs currently in the top 10 (Liverpool twice, Manchester United and Arsenal).
Villa are aiming to extend their undefeated home Premier League sequence against Chelsea to 10 games. They've not lost a home League game to the Londoners since March 1999 (three wins, six draws).
Distance between the clubs: 126 miles (203 kilometres)
ASTON VILLA
3rd 51 points
Highest realistically achievable after Saturday's matches: 3rd
Lowest could fall: 4th
1. Unbeaten in 13 Premier League matches; the second longest current such sequence behind Liverpool's 14 undefeated games.
2. Won nine and drawn four top-flight outings, since losing 1-2, home to Middlesbrough on 9 November.
3. Not conceded in three games or 349 minutes (five hours 49 minutes) of Premier League football, since Danny Collins' 11th minute consolation for Sunderland in Villa's 1-2 win at the Stadium of Light on 17 January.
4. Won all 11 games in which they've opened the scoring; the only 100% such record in the highest league.
5. Undefeated in six home league games; won two and drawn four since their only Villa Park league loss this season (v Middlesbrough).
6. The current tally of 51 points after 25 games is their best ever return in the Premier League, 10 points up on last season, and their highest points tally to this equivalent stage since the 1989-90 top-flight season, when they finished runners-up to Liverpool.
7. Failed to score in four of the last six against 'Big Four' clubs, and won one of 11; 0-2 away to Arsenal on 15 November 2008. Drawn the last three at home (v Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal), and not beaten a member of the quartet at Villa Park since eclipsing Chelsea 2-0 on 2 September 2007.
8. Drawn both their home Premier League games against London clubs this season; 0-0 v Fulham, and 2-2 v Arsenal.
9. This match precedes the return leg of the Uefa Cup round of 32 tie with CSKA Moscow in Russia on Thursday. The home leg ended 1-1 on Wednesday.
CHELSEA
4th 49 points
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 3rd
Lowest could fall: 4th
1. Lost two of 10 Premier League matches.
2. The only club not to have faced a penalty in this Premier League season.
3. Boasting the joint strongest attack in the Premier League this season. More details
4. Not scored a first-half league goal since Boxing Day (v West Brom).
5. Lost the last two away league games against Manchester United and Liverpool, by an aggregate of 5-0.
6. Not won a league game on the road since reeling off victories in the first eight away from the Bridge; now they're only the third best away club in the highest league with 26 points, behind Aston Villa (30) and Liverpool (28).
7. Five points down on this same stage in each of the last two seasons, and on their lowest points to this equivalent juncture in six seasons.
8. Won their last seven top-flight matches against Midlands clubs, and not dropped a point in the region since a 2-0 loss to Aston Villa on 2 September 2007.
9. This match precedes Wednesday's home clash with Juventus in the Champions League.
ASTON VILLA
Gabriel AGBONLAHOR is the club's top Premier League scorer with 10 goals.
Brad FRIEDEL has played every minute of every one of Aston Villa's Premier League matches this season.
Steve SIDWELL has scored the fastest goal in this season's Premier League; netting after only 31 seconds in Villa's 2-3 win over Everton at Goodison Park on 7 December.
If selected:-
FRIEDEL will be extending his record breaking run to 178 consecutive Premier League appearances.
Gareth BARRY will be playing two days before turning 28.
SIDWELL will be facing a former club. The 25 year old midfielder made 25 appearances (15 in the league) and scored one goal for Chelsea between July 2007 and his £5m move to Stamford Bridge in the close season.
CHELSEA
Kose BOSINGWA and Frank LAMPARD are the only remaining players to have started all of Chelsea's Premier League matches this season.
Nicolas ANELKA is the top-scoring Premier League player with 20 club goals in all competitions, and is leading the race for the Barclays Golden Boot with 14 Premier League goals, but he has not scored in his last eight Premier League appearances.
The French striker has scored five Premier League goals in five starts against Villa (three for Manchester City, one for Bolton and one for Arsenal).
If selected:-
Branislav IVANOVIC will be playing on the eve of his 25th birthday.
Suspended:-
Ashley COLE (one match)
Their victory in this fixture last season was Aston Villa's only maximum in nine Premier League matches against Chelsea.
Chelsea's most recent league win at Villa Park was 0-3 on 21 March 1999, when Tore Angel Flo got a brace and Bjarne Goldbaek, the other.
Gareth Barry has made a record 17 starts in Premier League matches between these clubs.
Home and away
League (inc PL): Villa 48 wins, Chelsea 45, Draws 30
Prem: Villa 9 wins, Chelsea 14, Draws 10
at Villa only
League (inc PL): Villa 30 wins, Chelsea 13, Draws 18
Prem: Villa 5 wins, Chelsea 5, Draws 6
Aston Villa 2-0 Chelsea
2 September 2007 - Ref: Mark Clattenburg
Villa scorers: Knight 47, Agbonlahor 88
Chelsea 2-0 Aston Villa
5 October 2008 - Ref: Chris Foy
Chelsea scorers: Joe Cole 21, Anelka 44
