Source: SKY_Sports
Aston Villa v Chelsea preview
Villa Park is primed for a top-of-the-table clash on Saturday as Aston Villa play host to Chelsea. Both sides will believe that they remain in the Premier League title hunt, although a top-four finish remains the priority.Villa have clambered above their weekend rivals of late and will be keen to ensure that they avoid a serious setback in their pursuit of UEFA Champions League football.Martin O'Neill's men are certainly the form side heading into the game, having stretched their unbeaten run in the top-flight to 13 games.They have also gone six games without tasting defeat on home soil, although they have won only two of those fixtures.While their defensive record is not yet comparable to league leaders Manchester United, Villa have gone 349 minutes since conceding a Premier League goal and will be hoping to keep things tight against the Blues.Chelsea will be hoping that the 'Guus Hiddink factor' can lift them out of a recent slump, with the Dutchman set to take charge of the Stamford Bridge outfit for the first time this weekend.The Blues will head to the Midlands, though, in the knowledge that they have tended to struggle at Villa Park in recent times.They have failed to take three points from any of their last nine visits, and the signs do not look good once again.They have won only four of their last 12 Premier League fixtures and have failed to score in three of their last four on the road.Sidwell returnsWith so much at stake on Saturday lunchtime, Villa will welcome the return of Steve Sidwell from suspension as they prepare to face his former club.The combative midfielder was banned for the midweek Uefa Cup clash with CSKA Moscow after being sent off against Hamburg before Christmas.O'Neill is also hoping to have Emile Heskey and James Milner back in contention after the duo missed out on European action with Achilles and thigh problems respectively.Skipper Martin Laursen is definitely missing with a knee problem, while Carlos Cuellar, Wilfred Bouma and Nigel Reo-Coker are all unavailable.Blues optionsChelsea will be hoping to have Ricardo Carvalho back in contention, but Michael Mancienne is ready to deputise should the Portuguese centre-half miss out.Joe Cole will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury and Michael Essien is still a month away from resuming full training after suffering with a similar ailment.Ashley Cole must serve a suspension, with Paulo Ferreira expected to step in, while Hiddink must decide whether to pair Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka in tandem up front.Possible starting XIsAston Villa: Friedel, L Young, Davies, Knight, Shorey, Milner, Petrov, Barry, A Young, Agbonlahor, Carew.Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Terry, Mancienne, Ferreira, Ballack, Lampard, Mikel, Quaresma, Drogba, Anelka.