Preview

Villa dare to dream at fortress Chelsea

Aston Villa head to the Drogba Arena knowing Chelsea's unbeaten league season means nothing in the Carabao Cup, but the champions' wounded pride could make this a brutal semi-final.

Coming up26 Dec 2063

Expected line-ups

Each side's usual system and players over its recent matches, without the injured: a likely eleven, not the team news.

Chelsea4-3-3 DM Wide

Jimenez Pico Calderón Abdulla San Martín Pardal Parkins Hilgers Júnior Messi Formicola

Aston Villa4-3-3 DM Wide

Wilkinson Smith Jiménez Cabeke Novak Khumalo Cadolle Corvalán Ángel Perea Francois Richards

Form

#	Team	P	GD	Pts
1	Chelsea	19	+56	55
2	Liverpool	20	+3	36
3	Southampton	19	+6	35
4	Rotherham United	19	+11	34
5	Plymouth Argyle	19	+5	31
6	Manchester United	20	+4	31
7	Everton	19	+1	31
8	Nottingham Forest	19	+2	27
9	Newcastle United	19	-1	25
10	Watford	19	-1	25
11	Reading	20	-10	25
12	West Ham United	19	+7	23
13	Arsenal	19	-2	22
14	Manchester City	19	-7	22
15	Aston Villa	19	-6	21
16	Middlesbrough	19	-12	21
17	Stoke City	18	-11	20
18	Sheffield United	19	-8	18
19	Wolverhampton Wanderers	18	-18	15
20	Luton Town	20	-19	11

Head to head

• Aston Villa 0-2 Chelsea English Premier Division
• Aston Villa 0-2 Chelsea English Premier Division
• Chelsea 1-0 Aston Villa English FA Cup
• Chelsea 3-1 Aston Villa English Premier Division
• Chelsea 4-1 Aston Villa English Premier Division