Dugout Discussion

Chelsea v Aston Villa: Enzo starts, Watkins a sub

27 December 2025 529 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
Share:

One more match to go today, and it’s an intriguing one: Chelsea v Aston Villa.

Kick-off is at 17:30 GMT.

It’s fourth v third based on pre-Gameweek table places, although Chelsea have slipped down to fifth after Liverpool’s win earlier.

TEAM NEWS

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca makes two changes from the 2-2 draw at Newcastle United.

One comes at centre-half as Benoit Badiashile replaces Wesley Fofana.

The other alteration sees Enzo Fernandez come in for Malo Gusto. That will mean a move back to right-back for Reece James, following his recent stint in midfield.

Estevao and Liam Delap return from injury and make the bench. 

There are two changes for the hosts, too, as Donyell Malen and Emiliano Buendia are preferred to Amadou Onana and Ollie Watkins.

LINE-UPS

Chelsea XI: Sanchez, James, Chalobah, Badiashile, Cucurella, Caicedo, Fernandez, Neto, Palmer, Garnacho, Joao Pedro.

Subs: Jorgensen, Fofana, Tosin, Acheampong, Gusto, Santos, Estevao, Gittens, Delap.

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Lindelof, Maatsen, Kamara, Tielemans, McGinn, Buendia, Rogers, Malen. 

Subs: Bizot, Digne, Garcia, Bogarde, Hemmings, Onana, Sancho, Watkins, Jimoh-Aloba.

price change predictions
529 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    22 hours, 36 mins ago

    Fair play Villa

    Open Controls
  2. Thanos
    • 4 Years
    22 hours, 36 mins ago

    Chelsea LOL

    Open Controls
  3. fedolefan
    • 11 Years
    22 hours, 36 mins ago

    Ollie time!!!

    Open Controls
  4. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    22 hours, 36 mins ago

    Ollie, confirming England World Cup 2026

    Open Controls
  5. Thanos
    • 4 Years
    22 hours, 36 mins ago

    Really want Villa to go ahead and win the PL!

    Open Controls
    1. keefy59
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      22 hours, 33 mins ago

      Next week away at Arsenal
      A big test for both clubs

      Open Controls
  6. Kaneyonero
    • 9 Years
    22 hours, 36 mins ago

    Rogers involved in the celebrations

    Open Controls
  7. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    22 hours, 36 mins ago

    Does anyone still own him?

    Open Controls
    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 13 Years
      22 hours, 35 mins ago

      As the the people do be saying, “no one who plays the game seriously”.

      Open Controls
    2. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 12 Years
      22 hours, 34 mins ago

      7.2%

      Open Controls
      1. The Bandit
        • 15 Years
        22 hours, 33 mins ago

        I mean active players

        Open Controls
  8. Brosstan
    • 11 Years
    22 hours, 34 mins ago

    Chalobah 0 pointer. I was told on here that he is an essential season keeper..

    Open Controls
    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 13 Years
      22 hours, 33 mins ago

      He still might be

      Open Controls
    2. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      22 hours, 33 mins ago

      Who have you subbing in?

      Open Controls
      1. Fifa las vegas
        • 13 Years
        22 hours, 31 mins ago

        😆

        Open Controls
        1. FPL Blow-In
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          22 hours, 30 mins ago

          Dalot here

          Open Controls
    3. fedolefan
      • 11 Years
      22 hours, 30 mins ago

      I sold him GW17 to afford Ekitike, Semenyo and Alderete. Need to get him back though in 22/24

      Open Controls
    4. osceola31909
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      22 hours, 4 mins ago

      I don’t even know how that’s possible. You’d think he’d have bungled into at least one.

      Open Controls
  9. rokonto
    • 10 Years
    22 hours, 33 mins ago

    Will Timber start next game?

    Open Controls
  10. brianutd-why always we? 20
    • 14 Years
    22 hours, 33 mins ago

    9; 5; 5 last 3 GW for Ollie

    Open Controls
  11. it lies in the proles
    • 8 Years
    22 hours, 32 mins ago

    Play Sanchez or Dubravka?

    Open Controls
  12. fedolefan
    • 11 Years
    22 hours, 32 mins ago

    Sanchez getting free save points.

    Open Controls
  13. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    22 hours, 32 mins ago

    Should have played Fofana and not Badiashite

    Open Controls
    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      22 hours, 31 mins ago

      Chelsea have never won a game that Badiashile has started

      Open Controls
      1. x.jim.x
        • 11 Years
        22 hours, 31 mins ago

        Even Ugarte managed to break his duck

        Open Controls
  14. FPL_adict
    • 7 Years
    22 hours, 31 mins ago

    Hey all, bench boost active. 4 FTs. What would you do?

    Dubravka Verbruggen
    Senesi Hincapie Keane Virgil O’Rielly
    Semenyo Andersen Cunha Wilson Saka
    Thiago Mateta Haaland

    Open Controls
  15. g40steve
    • 7 Years
    22 hours, 31 mins ago

    Sanchez howler

    Open Controls
  16. x.jim.x
    • 11 Years
    22 hours, 31 mins ago

    Sanchez hahaha he is so bad

    Open Controls
    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      22 hours, 30 mins ago

      lol and he actually had a good game but that’s funny

      Open Controls
  17. DROP IT LIKE IT'S HART
    • 13 Years
    22 hours, 31 mins ago

    Every time I watch Chelsea I wonder how they've supposedly spent 2 billion pounds to assemble such an average squad. Baffling squad building.

    Open Controls
    1. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      22 hours, 30 mins ago

      There’s a reason nobody else has attempted their stupid “magic bullet” strategy

      Open Controls
    2. Utopsis
      • 5 Years
      22 hours, 29 mins ago

      We are way way too inconsistent. But Villa are no mugs either

      Open Controls
    3. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      22 hours, 28 mins ago

      Same with Liverpool

      Open Controls
  18. Atimis
    • 9 Years
    22 hours, 29 mins ago

    I would punt on some Chelsea mid vs Bou but sounds stupid if not on FH

    Open Controls
    1. Pep's Money Laundry
      • 10 Years
      22 hours, 25 mins ago

      I'm on FH and was planning on for with Neto but now I'm concerned as he has played the full 90 minutes.
      Palmer is alternative but the problem is will he start two games in a week

      Open Controls
  19. Atimis
    • 9 Years
    22 hours, 27 mins ago

    And I saw some CC saying that Sanchez is good GK with good season lol

    Open Controls
    1. Yes Ndidi
      • 6 Years
      22 hours, 18 mins ago

      He will be OK in 2 or 3 GWs

      Open Controls
  20. Mr. O'Connell
    • 13 Years
    22 hours, 27 mins ago

    Not taking anything away from them, but how have Villa won 11 in a row? Look distinctly average when I watch them.

    Open Controls
    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      22 hours, 26 mins ago

      They’ve looked poor on the road and still snatched wins. They’ve done well

      Open Controls
      1. Mr. O'Connell
        • 13 Years
        22 hours, 25 mins ago

        They just hang on in there in games. Fair play.

        Open Controls
        1. Fifa las vegas
          • 13 Years
          22 hours, 23 mins ago

          Can’t be sustainable long term surely?

          But they really do just keep grinding them out. I still can’t figure out where I blanked out in the interim period of Villa being shite at the start of the season to suddenly being 2nd in the league!

          Open Controls
          1. Mr. O'Connell
            • 13 Years
            22 hours, 22 mins ago

            It's a very poor league this season. Expect City will find the extra gear.

            Open Controls
            1. Bushwhacker
              • 6 Years
              22 hours, 19 mins ago

              It's not poor at all. . . other than Wolves. Quite the opposite.

              Open Controls
              1. x.jim.x
                • 11 Years
                22 hours, 18 mins ago

                The big teams are rotten

                Open Controls
                1. Bushwhacker
                  • 6 Years
                  22 hours ago

                  You mean the one cantering away at the head of the Champions League? City are fine, Liverpool not so much. Three big teams, two are doing well.

                  Open Controls
                  1. x.jim.x
                    • 11 Years
                    21 hours, 41 mins ago

                    The Champions League is also a bag of raspberries these days, the sport has fell off massively

                    Open Controls
                    1. Mr. O'Connell
                      • 13 Years
                      21 hours, 38 mins ago

                      Testify

                      Open Controls
    2. it lies in the proles
      • 8 Years
      22 hours, 22 mins ago

      In form players, excellent manager

      Open Controls
    3. Utopsis
      • 5 Years
      22 hours, 20 mins ago

      They are like SAF's United in the latter years

      Open Controls
  21. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    22 hours, 26 mins ago

    Enzo lucky there patting the referee sarcastically on the back

    Open Controls
  22. FCSB
    • 9 Years
    22 hours, 26 mins ago

    GW19 Bench Boost

    Best replacement for Gudmundsson >>

    1. Dorgu / Dalot
    2. Hall / Thiaw
    3. Tarkowski / Keane
    4. Chalobah

    Open Controls
    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      22 hours, 24 mins ago

      Hall

      Open Controls
    2. it lies in the proles
      • 8 Years
      22 hours, 21 mins ago

      Dalot

      Open Controls
  23. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    22 hours, 25 mins ago

    Bench one:
    A. Keane (nfo)
    B. Thiaw (bur)
    C. H Wilson (cry)
    B. Virgil (LEE)

    Open Controls
    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 13 Years
      22 hours, 24 mins ago

      Harry

      Open Controls
    2. F4L
      • 11 Years
      22 hours, 19 mins ago

      wilson

      Open Controls
  24. Fifa las vegas
    • 13 Years
    22 hours, 24 mins ago

    Villa vs Arsenal should be cagey from FPL perspective?

    Open Controls
    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      22 hours, 22 mins ago

      Yes, I can see that being very cagey.

      Open Controls
    2. lilmessipran
      • 13 Years
      22 hours, 22 mins ago

      3-0 Arsenal

      Open Controls
      1. Fifa las vegas
        • 13 Years
        22 hours, 20 mins ago

        Seriously?

        Open Controls
        1. Fifa las vegas
          • 13 Years
          22 hours, 19 mins ago

          Probably depends on if Arsenal can score early or not.

          Tbf going by the Villa 1st half performance you could see something like that happening. So hard to call

          Open Controls
    3. F4L
      • 11 Years
      22 hours, 20 mins ago

      likely

      either arteta takes from this match you go full throttle and take advantage when you're on top or you're cautious as villa might come alive at any moment

      given its arteta he probably takes the cautious approach

      Open Controls
    4. mookie
      • 12 Years
      22 hours, 18 mins ago

      *Arsenal vs Villa

      Probably. Emery vs Arteta: 4W - 2D - 2L

      Open Controls
  25. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    22 hours, 23 mins ago

    People putting pressure on Emery after the first 5 games of the season. What a run

    Open Controls
  26. fedolefan
    • 11 Years
    22 hours, 22 mins ago

    Love seeing the Villa players give Watkins the spotlight. You can tell he was having a hard time.

    Open Controls
  27. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    22 hours, 22 mins ago

    Wast there an injury update on Ekitike today?

    Open Controls
  28. F4L
    • 11 Years
    22 hours, 22 mins ago

    sanchez taking the ball outside the box to help lock in save points

    my gk

    Open Controls
    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 13 Years
      22 hours, 21 mins ago

      He knew

      Open Controls
  29. Fifa las vegas
    • 13 Years
    22 hours, 21 mins ago

    Just realised Chelsea are level on points with United, who’ve been (probably rightly at times) ridiculed this season

    Open Controls
    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      22 hours, 19 mins ago

      They should buy another 300m worth of reserve wingers imo. That'll help.

      Open Controls
    2. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      22 hours, 17 mins ago

      One was being called title challengers
      One was being called relegation fodder

      Open Controls
    3. Bushwhacker
      • 6 Years
      22 hours, 17 mins ago

      Moneyball just doesn't work in football, especially the Premier League. Arsenal built a young foundation and then spent and spent to build that up. Chelsea is like a revolving door of talent. They need to spend three more years together with an almost known first XI week in, week out.

      Open Controls
    4. F4L
      • 11 Years
      22 hours, 16 mins ago

      maresca might get the boot soon

      Open Controls
  30. Vasshin
    • 7 Years
    22 hours, 18 mins ago

    Will Rogers get an assist for the first goal later on?

    Open Controls
    1. Bushwhacker
      • 6 Years
      22 hours, 16 mins ago

      No.

      Open Controls
    2. Fifa las vegas
      • 13 Years
      22 hours, 7 mins ago

      Seems not unfortunately

      Open Controls
    3. Utopsis
      • 5 Years
      22 hours, 4 mins ago

      Definitely not

      Open Controls

You need to be logged in to post a comment.