Sporting Life's preview of Liverpool v Chelsea in the Premier League

Sporting Life's preview of Chelsea v Aston Villa in the Premier League

Chelsea v Aston Villa tips: Premier League best bets and preview

By Jake Osgathorpe

17:38 · SAT September 11, 2021

Chelsea host Aston Villa at 5:30pm on Saturday, and Jake Osgathorpe can't see anything other than a home win.

Football betting tips: Premier League

2pts Chelsea to win to nil at evens (BetVictor)

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We are running out of good things to say about Chelsea, so I will just say this - they are Manchester City's closest challengers for the Premier League title.

Defensively, they are the best team in the league under Thomas Tuchel, and having now added Romelu Lukaku, they are a better all-round attacking team than last season.

Kick-off time: 17:30 BST, Saturday

TV channel: Sky Sports Main Event

Chelsea 2/7 | Draw 17/4 | Aston Villa 10/1

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While the xG total would suggest they were fortunate to escape Anfield with a point last time out, the Blues limited Liverpool - one of the best attacking teams in the league in front of their home fans - to just 0.99 second half xG, with 10-men.

They are extremely well organised at the back, and now have fluidity and a focal point up top that should see them improve their attacking process, which was already good under Tuchel last term.

Aston Villa are in town, and for Villa, Chelsea are the last opponent they would want to face given their attacking struggles so far.

Dean Smith's side have struggled to function in attack in the absence of Jack Grealish, with his replacements yet to gel.

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Despite having a fairly soft schedule to open the season (away to Watford and home to Newcastle and Brentford), Villa have averaged a meagre 0.62 non-pen xGF per game. That process makes them the worst attacking team in the league through three games.

A dysfunctional attacking team facing the best defensive team makes this a bad match-up for Villa.

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Defensively, Smith's side haven't been too bad but are yet to face a team with Chelsea's firepower and process, so the angle to take for this game is to back CHELSEA TO WIN TO NIL.