Aston Villa vs Chelsea LIVE!

Chelsea head to Villa Park this evening in desperate need of a boost after a humbling and humiliating 5-0 loss to Arsenal in midweek. It was a result, and performance, to bring the Blues back down to earth after an eight-game unbeaten streak had lifted spirits at Stamford Bridge.

Mauricio Pochettino has since been dealt with fresh injuries, including to the likes of Raheem Sterling, while Malo Gusto is still sidelined, but talisman Cole Palmer is back after an illness ruled him out of the Emirates Stadium thrashing. Chelsea cannot afford another defeat as they look to qualify for Europe next season.

Villa, meanwhile, can all but secure a top-four finish, and Champions League football, with a victory tonight. Another three points would open up a nine-point lead over fifth-placed Tottenham, albeit having played three more games. Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis from Nizaar Kinsella at Villa Park.

Aston Villa vs Chelsea latest updates

• GOAL! Madueke pulls one back

• GOAL! Rogers doubles Villa's advantage

• POST! Jackson denied by the woodwork

• OFFSIDE! Jackson equaliser ruled out

• GOAL! Cucurella own goal early on

Full-time!

22:06 , Alex Young

101min: That’s it! Exhausting.

22:03 , Alex Young

99min: Villa have a late corner... Duran meets it but his header spins over the bar!

NO GOAL!

22:01 , Alex Young

98min: It’s been ruled out! For a Jackson shove on Jackson.

It’s so, so soft. Pochettino cannot believe it.

22:01 , Alex Young

97min: Oh, wait. VAR have recommended an on-field review.

GOAL!

22:00 , Alex Young

95min: From the second corner, Disasi wins it! A super ball back in for Madueke and Disasi heads home from close range!

SAVE!

21:59 , Alex Young

94min: Palmer had to win it! So sloppy from Villa to give the ball away in their final third, Palmer takes it on, goes past two defenders and looks to slot the ball between the keeper’s legs, but Olsen makes the save.

21:56 , Alex Young

92min: Chelsea take a free kick short with Gallagher but it’s a poor decision and Villa end up winning a free kick of their own.

It’s tense.

21:54 , Alex Young

91min: Seven minutes added on.

21:52 , Alex Young

88min: Was that the chance?! Watkins looks certain to sweep home inside the area, but blazes well over the bar.

21:51 , Alex Young

87min: It’s a poor corner and McGinn can break before being taken out by Silva, who is booked.

21:50 , Alex Young

86min: Chelsea win a corner, Jackson’s shot comes off Carlos.

21:47 , Alex Young

83min: Villa react by bringing on Duran for Diaby.

21:46 , Alex Young

82min: Just under 10 minutes to find a winner.

GOAL!

21:45 , Alex Young

81min: Chelsea are level! Gallagher silences Villa Park with a stunning curling effort into the top corner.

A deserved equaliser!

Nizaar Kinsella at Villa Park

21:43 , Alex Young

Still no changes for Chelsea, 80 minutes into the match. It shows Mauricio Pochettino doesn't trust the youngsters on his bench, with no senior attacking options available to change things up.

Mykhailo Mudryk is really struggling and would be taken off on any other occasion.

21:42 , Alex Young

77min: Cucurella lays the ball off for Palmer to try his luck from the edge of the area, but he’s well wide again.

21:39 , Alex Young

75min: Carlos and Iroegbunam are on for Luiz and Bailey.

21:38 , Alex Young

74min: Oh my! Straight up the other end, Bailey darts into the area and almost gets the better of Petrovic, whose save is inches away from an outstretched Watkins before it can be cleared.

21:36 , Alex Young

72min: Great tackle from Caicedo followed by an even better ball into the area gives Madueke the chance to test Olsen.

Villa are set to bring on Carlos, a defender.

21:34 , Alex Young

70min: Caicedo and Luiz tangle again. Nothing much in it but the Chelsea man wants to referee to act.

21:31 , Alex Young

67min: Bailey booked. It’s getting a bit frantic.

Nizaar Kinsella at Villa Park

21:30 , Alex Young

The game is well and truly on. Can Chelsea salvage something from this? They would be vital points in the race for Europe and vital points dropped for Villa.

21:29 , Alex Young

65min: Palmer goes low with the free kick but it’s well wide.

21:29 , Alex Young

64min: Madueke wants another and is taken out on the edge of the area!

GOAL!

21:27 , Alex Young

63min: Chelsea are back in it! Their pressure pays off.

It comes from a press high up the pitch. Gallagher looks to have been wiped out in the area, and that surely would have been a penalty but Madueke sweeps home!

21:24 , Alex Young

60min: First corner is deep and Cash clears for another. Second corner is again deep, and Olsen claims but gets a knock at the same time.

He looks in some pain but should be fine.

21:22 , Alex Young

59min: Chelsea win a corner off Torres.

21:20 , Alex Young

56min: Chelsea with all of the ball but not managing to do too much with it for now. Palmer and Jackson crowded out immediately.

21:18 , Alex Young

52min: Chelsea building momentum in these early stages of the second half. Villa happy for them to have the ball for now.

21:13 , Alex Young

49min: It’s getting a bit fiery as Luiz goes in hard on Caicedo, and the Chelsea man did not take kindly to it.

Both get booked.

Second half!

21:10 , Alex Young

46min: Back under way!

21:09 , Alex Young

It’s a hamstring injury for Martinez.

21:08 , Alex Young

This is a strange one. Martinez is off for Villa, with Olsen on for the second half.

20:57 , Alex Young

Chelsea have had their chances but goals at either end of the half have Villa in cruise control.

Pochettino does not even have anything on the bench to change things.

Half-time!

20:52 , Alex Young

51min: Same again.Villa break and again Diaby’s pass is overhit for his team-mate... and that’s half-time!

20:51 , Alex Young

50min: Villa fancy a third before the break but Diaby’s lofted pass over Watkins’ head has too much on it and the move breaks down.

20:50 , Alex Young

49min: Madueke takes a tumble as he tries to dart into the area, but it’s not a foul. He just slipped.

20:48 , Alex Young

46min: Six minutes added on.

Nizaar Kinsella at Villa Park

20:45 , Alex Young

That should be that.

Rogers makes it 2-0 by tucking in his shot at the near post. Petrovic may feel he should have done better but he was quite exposed there.

Rogers, who is friends with Palmer, copies the former Manchester City man's goal celebration.

20:44 , Alex Young

43min: A big, big celebration from Emery on the touchline. He knows Chelsea have had their chances and how big a result today will be for making the top four.

GOAL!

20:43 , Alex Young

42min: Rogers scores for the third home game in a row!

Almost out of nothing, the midfielder finds an inch of space in the edge of the area, takes a touch and finds the near bottom corner.

20:42 , Alex Young

41min: It’s a poor delivery, into Jackson’s feet and Villa easily clear.

20:41 , Alex Young

40min: Chelsea win a free kick wide on the left. Palmer fancies it.

Nizaar Kinsella at Villa Park

20:38 , Alex Young

A bald Jackson heads onto the post. He is a little unlucky but maybe should find the corner there. Really good spell from Chelsea.

Caicedo has been outstanding during the first half. His use of possession has been great and he has mopped up as much of the danger as he can.

20:37 , Alex Young

37min: Straight up the other end, Watkins again tests Petrovic with a low drive.

It’s end to end.

POST!

20:36 , Alex Young

34min: Cucurella does brilliantly to stand the ball up to the back post and Jackson climbs highest but can only direct his header off the bottom of the post.

Really smart from Chelsea, especially Mudryk in the build-up.

20:30 , Alex Young

29min: Palmer is really struggling to find space as Villa players crowd him at every opportunity. His latest effort just hits Torres on the edge of the area.

Nizaar Kinsella at Villa Park

20:27 , Alex Young

Tielemans is going off injured after a collision with Gallagher.

20:26 , Alex Young

26min: An early change for Villa as Tielemans is forced off. Diaby is coming on.

20:26 , Alex Young

25min: Chelsea do at times play good football. Neat passing and clever movement in their forward line, but just one good pass so regularly bypasses their midfield and sends they defence backtracking.

20:24 , Alex Young

22min: Palmer’s first sight of goal and it’s a high and wide from 25 yards. He’s not been able to get involved so far tonight.

NO GOAL!

20:19 , Alex Young

17min: Out of almost nothing, Chelsea think they are level!

A ball over the top sends Jackson running through under pressure from Cash. A smart touch to control and another to fire past Martinez does the job.

Great composure and after a long VAR call... it’s disallowed for offside!

20:17 , Alex Young

16min: A nice breakaway over the halfway line through Watkins, he finds McGinn on the edge of then gets the ball back for a shot straight at Petrovic.

Chelsea did well to get back and crowd out Watkins.

Nizaar Kinsella at Villa Park

20:16 , Alex Young

Chelsea have settled their nerves by a sustained spell of possession at Villa Park. It has quietened the crowd after the early Marc Cucurella own goal lifted the roof off the place.

20:15 , Alex Young

14min: Finally a bit of composure from Chelsea as they try to slow the play down, passing between defence and midfield.

20:12 , Alex Young

10min: It’s just wave after wave from Villa. Chelsea really struggling to get a foot on the ball.

20:09 , Alex Young

7min: Chelsea look so nervous! McGinn fires into the the side netting after another sweeping move.

GOAL!

20:06 , Alex Young

5min: First real attack, first goal! McGinn’s cutback finds Rogers, whose shot is sent past Petrovic off Cucurella for an own goal.

Nightmare start for the Blues!

20:05 , Alex Young

3min: It’s all Villa in these opening stages.

Kick-off!

20:01 , Alex Young

1min: Here we go!

19:57 , Alex Young

Here come the teams!

Nizaar Kinsella at Villa Park

19:57 , Alex Young

Former Hashtag United goalkeeper Ted Curd is on Chelsea's bench. He is one of two goalkeepers on the bench and it says a lot about Chelsea's options today.

Nizaar Kinsella at Villa Park

19:53 , Alex Young

Dubstep tunes on at Villa Park as the hype machine tries to push the home side into the Champions League. The night game has allowed fans to get here early, have a drink and I suspect the atmosphere will be intense.

19:47 , Alex Young

The final preparations are done and the players are back in the dressing room.

19:40 , Alex Young

Nizaar checks in.

19:30 , Alex Young

More from Nizaar on the subs.

19:25 , Alex Young

Aston Villa make one change as Luiz returns from suspension and replaces Diaby.

Chelsea make three changes. Palmer, Chalobah and Silva replace Gilchrist, Disasi and the injured Fernandez.

Nizaar Kinsella at Villa Park

19:16 , Alex Young

Mauricio Pochettino has extremely limited options today despite the return of talisman Cole Palmer.

With 12 players out, Pochettino has just 11 senior outfield players to choose from. He has opted to play Benoit Badiashile and Thiago Silva over Axel Disasi, who is the only senior player on the bench.

It means Chelsea come to Villa Park with an attacking lineup as Palmer plays as a No10 in a four-man attack, including Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jackson. Aston Villa look very strong.

17-year-old Kiano Dyer is on the bench for Chelsea today. The midfielder is the son of Lloyd Dyer who came through Villa's academy and was born in Aston.

Team news in full

19:08 , Alex Young

Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Bailey, Tielemans, Douglas Luiz, Rogers, McGinn, Watkins

Subs: Diego Carlos, Chambers, Lenglet, Diaby, Duran, Olsen, Kesler-Hayden, Iroegbunam, Kellyman

Chelsea: Petrovic, Chalobah, Thiago Silva, Badiashile, Cucurella, Caicedo, Gallagher, Madueke, Palmer, Mudryk, Jackson

Subs: Disasi, Bettinelli, Casadei, Deivid Washington, Curd, Gilchrist, Acheampong, George, Dyer

Aston Villa XI

19:03 , Alex Young

...and the hosts!

Chelsea XI

19:00 , Alex Young

...here’s how the Blues look!

18:54 , Alex Young

Ollie Watkins, of course, also starts, along with Leon Bailey.

18:49 , Alex Young

It sounds like Cole Palmer is back and in the starting line-up.

Yorke: Palmer needs to stay at Chelsea and be the main man

18:43 , Alex Young

“There would be no point in Cole Palmer leaving Chelsea for Arsenal because they're not winning any trophies either, it wouldn't make any difference,” the former Premier League striker told Crypto Casino LTD.

“He wouldn't go to Liverpool who will be transitioning under a new manager and team. Palmer needs to stay at Chelsea and become the top dog of the club, build his reputation and be the man to move the club forward. Sometimes, players can be quick to move to a more successful or bigger club, but players can be the main man to take these clubs up a level. At Liverpool, he won't ever be a bigger player than Mo Salah or Virgil van Dijk.

“My advice for Palmer is to stay at Chelsea. Imagine Zinedine Zidane goes to Chelsea next year and Palmer leaves, it wouldn't work out for him. I'd love Man United to sign him, but I don't think that will be the case because of his Man City connection, he's too young to deal with that. Also, it's only his first full professional season, let's see if he can do it over multiple years.”

Latest odds

18:34 , Alex Young

It looks like Aston Villa will take another big step towards that top-four finish, according to the bookies.

• Aston Villa - 5/6

• Draw - 9/4

• Chelsea - 2/1

(Odds via Betfair.)

Emery on Villa's top-four bid

18:28 , Alex Young

Unai Emery believes Aston Villa fully deserve to be in contention for a top-four finish and has urged his squad to grasp the opportunity of securing Champions League football.

"Amazing motivation we have in front (of us), but realistic as well because I think we deserve to be contenders now to get it," Emery told reporters.

"Five months ago, four months ago, three months ago, even one month ago, you were asking the same, 'if we were contenders to be in the top seven teams or in the Champions League?' I was always saying the same message, 'we weren't'.

"But, of course, getting to match 32, 33, 34, like we are now, if we are in the table with the possibility like we have now, we have to try and get it."

18:19 , Alex Young

I don’t know what Nizaar is complaining about, the weather looks glorious at Villa Park.

Pochettino uncertain over Chelsea bosses' verdict on his future

18:13 , Alex Young

Mauricio Pochettino has admitted that he’s unsure what Chelsea’s sporting directors think of his performance in the dugout.

The Argentine is under pressure after a 5-0 defeat to Arsenal on Tuesday and having been knocked out of the FA Cup last weekend.

The Blues’ hopes of qualifying for Europe are in serious doubt and a trophyless season is guaranteed, while Chelsea are also suffering a 12-player injury crisis despite Cole Palmer’s return for the trip to Aston Villa.

When asked whether he has the full trust of the club’s sporting directors, Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, Pochettino said: “That’s a good question for them if you have the opportunity to ask them.

“But it’s not a subjective idea of us [that we have problems] - it is the reality. Okay, that is a point: if we are [considered] responsible, we are responsible.

“Maybe we are not responsible in this situation. I cannot answer the question because, to be honest, I don’t know what they are thinking.”

Read more here!

Aston Villa vs Chelsea prediction

18:04 , Alex Young

Aston Villa are a superior team across the park to Chelsea and will know another victory will all but secure Champions League football next season.

The Blues will need to be at their best to leave Villa Park with anything, and they have not hit those heights for some time.

Aston Villa to win, 2-0.

Chelsea team news

17:56 , Alex Young

Chelsea have Cole Palmer back from illness but that is the end of the positive team news tonight.

Malo Gusto, along with Palmer, sat out the 5-0 defeat to Arsenal and will again be missing this weekend, and is joined by Raheem Sterling and Carney Chukwuemeka as Mauricio Pochettino’s injury crisis deepens. There are now 12 first-team players unavailable.

Sterling is out with a back problem, Chukwuemeka’s knee issues have resurfaced, and Gusto is still not fit after injuring himself in the defeat to Manchester City at Wembley Stadium. However, Palmer’s return is a boost as the 20-goal Premier League Golden Boot-chaser returns after missing the defeat to Arsenal.

Enzo Fernandez has also been ruled out for the season after opting to have groin surgery. Reece James and Levi Colwill have joined Christopher Nkunku by stepping up their recovery to join in partial team training sessions but are unavailable to play at Villa Park.

Aston Villa team news

17:48 , Alex Young

Aston Villa can welcome Douglas Luiz back after a suspension and the midfielder should start despite Morgan Rogers impressive form.

Otherwise, it should be a case of as you were for Unai Emery, who still has Boubacar Kamara, Emiliano Buendia, Tyrone Mings (all knee), Jacob Ramsey (foot), Alex Moreno (calf) and Nicolo Zaniolo (knock) out injured.

Nizaar Kinsella at Villa Park

17:40 , Alex Young

It’s cold and wet as dark clouds gather over Villa Park.

Chelsea are right up against it with 12 players out injured. They’ve also only won once outside of London in the Premier League and that was at Luton in the commuter belt.

It’s hard to feel optimistic but this was the ground for Chelsea’s best performance in the FA Cup. Can they tap into that inspiration?

Where to watch Aston Villa vs Chelsea

17:35 , Alex Young

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate, with coverage beginning at 7pm ahead of an 8pm kick-off.

Live stream: Subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Discovery+ app and website.

Welcome

17:28 , Alex Young

Good evening and welcome to the Standard’s LIVE coverage of the Premier League clash between Aston Villa and Chelsea from Villa Park.

Chelsea, and Mauricio Pochettino, know they need a reaction after that defeat to Arsenal as their hopes of qualifying for Europe take hit after hit.

Villa, meanwhile, can move nine points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham with another victory, albeit having played three more games.

Kick-off is at 8pm. Stick with us.