Chelsea vs Aston Villa Odds
Chelsea Odds | -150 |
Aston Villa Odds | +450 |
| Draw | +270 |
| Over/Under | 2.5 (-104 / -116) |
| Both Teams to Score (Yes/No) | (-108 / -118) |
| Odds via FanDuel. Get the latest soccer odds here. | |
Chelsea resume their Premier League play after a lengthy international break with a home match against Aston Villa to close out the Saturday slate.
The Blues are currently positioned 10th in the table and settled for a 2-2 draw against Everton before the break. Villa, who are level on points with Chelsea (27), are one place behind them thanks to a 3-0 victory over Bournemouth in their last out.
With two mid-table sides, will one make a stronger push to finish in the top half and perhaps crawl their way to a European spot in these final 11 league games, or have they already moved on to next season?
Here is our look at the Chelsea vs Aston Villa odds and a betting pick for Saturday.
Chelsea Finally Finishing Their Chances
While their 2-2 draw against Everton in their last out was disappointing, things are beginning to look up for Potter and the Blues. They have won three of their last four matches in all competitions and are no longer searching for a formation, as Potter has consistently rolled out a 3-5-2 during their four-game unbeaten run.
With a well-fitting formation and overall improved camaraderie in a squad full of new players, Chelsea have netted eight goals so far in March, equal to the amount they have scored between the last four months combined.
Almost half of those goals have come from Kai Havertz, who has found his form this month. He has scored in three consecutive matches and has seen an increase in his average touches inside the opposing team's 18-yard-box increase significantly during that time.
His touches in dangerous areas will only continue to increase as Chelsea finally begin to get some of their missing key players healthy. In the latest pre-game presser, Potter announced that Mason Mount and N'Golo Kante will be available Saturday.
Aston Villa Have Been Transformed Under Emery
Similar to Chelsea, Aston Villa are also unbeaten in their last four matches. However, all four games were against teams in the bottom half of the table, and two of them are currently in the relegation zone.
Still, it cannot be understated how massive a turnaround manager Unai Emery has made on the Lions this season. Prior to his takeover on November 1, Villa were 15th in the table with a 3-3-7 record with a -9 goal differential. Under the Villarreal boss, Villa are 8-2-4 with a +5 goal differential.
It is hard to point out which side of the ball he has impacted more significantly. Offensively, they have scored in every league game he has managed, while on the defensive side of the ball they have recorded three clean sheets in their last four matches.
The one cloud over Aston Villa at the moment is that Matty Cash will be sidelined after picking up an injury over the international break. Leander Dendoncker and Philippe Coutinho are also both doubtful for the match.
Chelsea vs Aston Villa Pick
Results-wise, there is nothing separating these two mid-table sides. On paper, Chelsea are the better team, which is being represented in the odds. However, the Blues have been known to play below their talent quite a bit this season.
Rather than backing a side, I am eyeing a game prop. Both teams are hot in front of goal and will be missing a key defender, meaning plenty of chances should occur.
Look for both sides to tuck home at least one of those chances.
