Matchday squad update: Aston Villa vs Chelsea
Venue: Villa Park, Birmingham.
Date: 4 March 2026, Premier League, Regular Season – Round 29.
Aston Villa come in 4th (51 points, +8 goal difference), Chelsea 6th (45 points, +16).
Aston Villa availability
Unai Emery will be without three central midfielders: B. Kamara (knee injury), J. McGinn (knee injury) and Y. Tielemans (ankle injury), all ruled out. In defence, Andrés García is facing a late fitness test with a muscle issue. The absences hit Villa’s control in the middle, but their main attacking weapons are fit: M. Rogers (8 goals, 5 assists) and O. Watkins (8 goals, 1 assist) are both available, supported by wide threat from L. Bailey and creativity from E. Buendía.
Chelsea availability
Chelsea’s back line loses L. Colwill (knee injury, out), while midfield option D. Essugo is also sidelined. In attack, M. Mudryk (suspended) and Pedro Neto (red card) are both out, costing Chelsea Neto’s 5 goals and 4 assists from wide areas. Marc Cucurella, Estêvão and J. Bynoe-Gittens are all doubtful with muscle problems. Key forwards Joãо Pedro (11 goals, 4 assists) and Enzo Fernández (8 goals, 2 assists from midfield) remain fit and available.
Impact summary
Villa’s injuries are concentrated in midfield structure rather than pure attacking output, with their 16 league goals from Rogers and Watkins intact. Chelsea, however, lose significant wing creativity in Neto, but still travel with 19 league goals and 6 assists combined from Joãо Pedro and Enzo Fernández.
