Mauricio Pochettino to consider four Chelsea changes for Aston Villa after Arsenal defeat

There is not much time for Chelsea to rest and recover after being humiliated 5-0 at Arsenal on Tuesday evening.

The Blues were poor at the Emirates Stadium and were punished by the Premier League leaders in brutal fashion. Chelsea are now in the middle of a four-day period to prepare for their next league match away at Aston Villa on Saturday night.

Mauricio Pochettino, a man under serious pressure with the club's fan base, will be hoping Cole Palmer is well enough to take some part at Villa Park. Palmer, Chelsea's top goal scorer this season, missed Tuesday's loss to Arsenal through illness.

If he is fit again, there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever that he will return to the starting lineup. While Mykhailo Mudryk was not the only one whose performance could be described as unimpressive, his place in the team looks to be under threat.

Alfie Gilchrist was very much thrown in at the deep end for his first Premier League start earlier in the week. Axel Disasi could move across to right-back with Malo Gusto struggling with an injury and club captain Reece James still sidelined with a long-term problem.

Benoit Badiashile had a poor game in north London and could be dropped with Thiago Silva and Trevoh Chalobah expected to return to the heart of the Chelsea defence. Marc Cucurella might continue at left-back with Ben Chilwell still struggling with his fitness.

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Enzo Fernandez looks like he can do with a rest. Fernandez has been playing with an injury for a lot of the season and the Argentine could drop out of the side with the possibility of Conor Gallagher being used in a deeper role alongside Moises Caicedo.

If Palmer is well enough to return, we could see him in a central role behind Nicolas Jackson. Raheem Sterling may also come back into the side, having not started a game in over a month. Noni Madueke may continue on the right wing at Villa Park.

In the six games remaining of Chelsea's season, Pochettino will be desperate for his side to find some sort of consistency. Speaking after the defeat to Arsenal earlier in the week, the Argentine seemed mystified how his players could put in a performance like they did against Manchester City and then a few days later crumble in humiliating fashion against the Gunners.

"It's impossible to see after Saturday at Wembley, a fantastic performance, competed really well against a very good team like Manchester City and then today," Pochettino explained. "You can lose against Arsenal, they are fighting for the Premier League, but in the way we competed.

"Why one day, three days ago, and then today in this way? For the circumstances, we needed to make some changes for different reasons but that is the inconsistency we are showing the whole season.

"Three days ago; fantastic game, a great performance and we deserved to go to the final and then today, we cannot use any words to describe this performance. It was not great, it was not good."