There is only one match on Boxing Day this year, but tomorrow brings a ton of Premier League action. For whatever reason, almost all of the games are on Saturday this weekend, not Sunday. And although Friday is a holiday too, Newcastle United at Manchester United is the only match scheduled for that day. The best overall match of the weekend though is Aston Villa at Chelsea FC. It’s third pleace versus fifth place, a league title contender vs. a side trying to work their way into the race.
Chelsea FC and their fans got an early present when Blues boss Enzo Maresca, on Christmas Eve, declared Estevao and Liam Delap fit to feature.
Chelsea FC vs Aston Villa FYIs
Kickoff: Sat. Dec. 27, 5:30pm, Stamford Bridge, London, UK
Preview Material for Both Sides: Team News Starting XI Prediction
PL Position, Form: Chelsea 4th, 22 pts, DLDWD Aston Villa 3rd, 36 pts, WWWWW
Google Result Probability: Chelsea 52% Draw 24% Aston Villa 24%
So with that in mind, let’s take a look at who should be in the first teams here, for both sides.
Predicted Starting XIs
Aston Villa
Emiliano Martinez, Matty Cash, Ezra Konsa, Victor Lindelof, Ian Maatsen, Boubacar Kamara, Amadou Onana, John McGinn, Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins
Chelsea
Robert Sanchez, Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Cucurella, Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, Alejandro Garnacho, Joao Pedro
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.