Aston Villa

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  1. Sutton's predictions: Crystal Palace v Aston Villapublished at 08:53 GMT 25 February

    Sutton's predictions graphic

    It looks like fifth place will get you into the Champions League next season and that is the most interesting race at the top now the title is pretty much done and dusted.

    Half of the Premier League will feel they have a chance of making it and Aston Villa are definitely one of those sides in the hunt.

    I am not sure Villa will pick up three points here, though.

    Crystal Palace don't score many goals at home - just 12 in 13 league games this season - and they don't win that many there either, just two so far in fact.

    But at the same time, Villa are not great on the road - they have only won once away in the Premier League since the middle of October.

    I don't like to mention it but I was exactly right about Villa beating Chelsea 2-1 at the weekend, and I feel like they are a much easier team to predict than Palace are.

    People are getting excited about what Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio will do in Unai Emery's side but I think this is a tough game for Villa, especially with the form Jean-Philippe Mateta is in for Palace.

    Sutton's prediction: 1-1

    Read the full predictions and have your say here

  2. Crystal Palace v Aston Villa: Did you know?published at 08:09 GMT 25 February

    Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta of Crystal scoring against Aston VillaImage source, Getty Images

    Crystal Palace have won five of their past six Premier League home games against Aston Villa and beat them 5-0 at Selhurst Park last season.

    The reverse fixture in November finished 2-2 – Villa have beaten the Eagles at least once in the past seven top-flight campaigns in which they have met.

  3. Emery on team news, being defensively stronger and Crystal Palacepublished at 14:22 GMT 24 February

    Katie Stafford
    BBC Sport journalist

    Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Premier League game at Crystal Palace (kick-off 19:30 GMT).

    Here are the key lines from his news conference:

    • It is too early to say whether Tyrone Mings and Morgan Rogers will be available for Tuesday's game as they will be assessed after Monday's training session.

    • Pau Torres is "closer" to a return after suffering a broken metatarsal in December and could return to training this week or next.

    • On having better squad depth now to deal with absences: "Our job is to improve and bring in players who can add something different. Tomorrow is a very good test of how we are improving."

    • He said his side have not been "defensively strong enough" which has resulted in "conceding a lot of goals" and that has to stop.

    • In response to qualifying for Europe being their main focus: "It depends tomorrow on how we are responding. The league is progressing and the matches are becoming less, so we have to recover [the points] that we lost. But we are positive and we are more or less trying to be strong again, astute tactically and mentally. We did business in the transfer window and we need time to recover players. Each day and match is a test."

    • On opponents Palace: "In my past two matches against them they have performed very well. They are perhaps playing even better away from home at the moment. Tactically, it is very difficult to stop them. They are astute and have players coming out on the winning side of duels."

    • He said he is "excited" to see how his players respond to the quick turnaround of games after a demanding match against Chelsea.

    Follow all of Monday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

  4. Aston Villa 2-1 Chelsea - the fans' verdictpublished at 09:18 GMT 24 February

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    Filip Jorgensen of Chelsea takes a free-kickImage source, Getty Images

    We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Aston Villa and Chelsea.

    Here are some of your comments:

    Villa fans

    Paul: What a contrast to recent draws and building on the Liverpool game, Villa were much better when playing on the front foot in the second half. I want to see this intensity for the rest of the season even with yet more injuries. Deserved result in the end.

    Prit: An absolutely vital win, especially with our rivals for European places dropping points. I still have a lot of concern with our defence, especially with Tyrone Mings still not fully recovered from his knock a few weeks ago, but the Rashford-Asensio axis is really working and is only going to get better. If we only keep Rashford and Asensio for this season, I hope these next few games gives them the necessary confidence and and put them in the shop window. But, if they could stay next season... well you never know where that would take us!

    Mark: We didn't play well but Rashford made the difference in the second half. Still a lot to play for. If we could only keep the centre-backs fit.

    Mike: Marco Asensio is undeniably playing his way to a permanent transfer. What a signing he'd be. Unai Emery looks like he's got into Marcus Rashford's head already too and we're beginning to see the real player he's always been. Villa should be one of those teams opponents fear for the ability to impose their game plan and find a way to get a result. No visitor to Villa Park should ever be comfortable with a one-goal lead these days.

    Chelsea fans

    Chris: Another frustrating, pathetic display from Chelsea. So negative, more passes back to the back four than forward. Reece James is wandering around in midfield as a shadow of his former self and Cole Palmer seems disinterested at present. I can't even bother to talk about our goalkeeper situation, having missed another transfer window and not rectified the situation, plus the blatant need for a striker who can score! Destined for a mid-table finish at this rate!

    Jerry: The definition of madness is doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different outcome.

    Chris: Another poor showing with no signs of improvement. No grit and no ability to win ugly. We lack a keeper, a dominant central defender and, above all else, an out-and-out striker. If we don't get a big lead in games, we always look likely, like here, to collapse. A promising start faded into yet another predictable finish.

    Dave: We had all week to prepare while Villa had a tough game. Yet, they were better and had more energy in the second half. It's obvious Chelsea are not playing for Enzo Maresca - it's obvious. We are in trouble.

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  5. Catch up on the Premier League actionpublished at 11:02 GMT 23 February

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    Highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from Friday's game between Leicester and Brentford.

    If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

    Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

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  6. Aston Villa 2-1 Chelsea: Asensio and Rashford make the differencepublished at 20:25 GMT 22 February

    Adam Millington
    BBC Sport journalist

    Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford celebrateImage source, Getty Images

    Aston Villa were doing everything they could in the final third, but they weren't getting what they required.

    Then, Unai Emery brought Marcus Rashford on at half-time and found the key to tipping the balance.

    Rashford was introduced with Villa losing 1-0 and they ended up snatching victory, thanks to him twice setting up fellow new recruit Marco Asensio, who scored his first two goals for the club.

    It was a promising display from Villa on Saturday, who swiftly composed themselves after early lapses allowed Chelsea to snatch the advantage.

    They played some excellent football in the final third, with the vision of Youri Tielemans and John McGinn setting up nice moves. Jacob Ramsey and Morgan Rogers then made good runs to get in behind.

    Rashford replaced Rogers and improved on the work which was already being done, with the Manchester United loanee showing a clear sense of drive and desire as he worked tirelessly to help his side to victory.

    While there were definite areas of improvement for Villa as a Chelsea goalkeeping mistake gifted them the eventual winner, the work of Asensio and Rashford was a striking positive.

    An image detailing how to follow your Premier League team on BBC Sport: "On the app? Tap the bell icon to get news about your club sent to you. Signed in on a browser? Hit 'Follow' to stay up to date.
  7. 'We progressively got better'published at 20:14 GMT 22 February

    Unai EmeryImage source, Getty Images

    Aston Villa boss Unai Emery, speaking to Sky Sports: "Of course if we had lost we would be worse [in the table]. Today we started very bad and conceded a goal, second in the duels, were late and slow on the press, not getting the players on the field as we planned.

    "Then we progressively got better. Better in the duels, better in the second half overall. In the dressing room before we spoke about being ready for 90 minutes, how we wanted it to go, we wanted the sub players to be ready.

    "We played on Wednesday and maybe we were getting tired. Morgan Rogers maybe has a little injury, Tyrone Mings went off, and we needed the subs to have a good impact and they did.

    "The last two games we had chances at the end of the match and did not score. Today we had chances at the end and we scored."

    On the January signings making an impact: "We had the necessity to improve the squad and to have more players to help with our objectives: trying to be in the top seven or eight and trying to compete in the FA Cup and the Champions League.

    "Of course we brought the players in thinking about improving it. Then we have to try and adapt quick, a lot of meetings and getting information on the field."

  8. Aston Villa 2-1 Chelsea: Key statpublished at 19:53 GMT 22 February

    Andres Garcia embraces Aston Villa teammate Youri TielemansImage source, Getty Images

    Aston Villa have won three matches in the Premier League this season after trailing at half-time - their joint-most in a Premier League season after 2007-08.

    Villa have now won 18 points from losing positions this season - more than any other team in the Premier League.

  9. Sutton's predictions: Aston Villa v Chelseapublished at 11:24 GMT 22 February

    Sutton's predictions graphic

    Chelsea's form has been pretty rotten recently and their manager, Enzo Maresca, also needs a strong finish to the season.

    It doesn't help that Cole Palmer has lost his mojo, on top of their issues at centre-forward and in goal. Maresca really needs to make the Champions League places but nothing is clicking for his side at the moment.

    Aston Villa are probably in better shape in terms of their performances, but their results have also not been great with four draws and a defeat in their past five league games.

    They were great going forward against Liverpool on Wednesday but just cannot keep clean sheets - although Tyrone Mings' return to the team from injury is big for them at the back.

    I had to think a bit about this one but I am going for my old club Villa to beat my old club Chelsea, and Maresca might start to come under a bit of pressure if this poor run carries on much longer.

    Sutton's prediction: 2-1

    Read the full predictions and have your say here

  10. Follow Saturday's Premier League games livepublished at 11:00 GMT 22 February

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    There are seven Premier League games on Saturday, and we will bring you every moment.

    Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

    Follow all the action and reaction here

  11. The answerpublished at 16:42 GMT 21 February

    Jhon Duran celebrates a goal for Aston VillaImage source, Getty Images

    Earlier, we asked how well you remembered Aston Villa's opening Premier League game of the season.

    The match against West Ham ended in a 2-1 win, with John Duran scoring Villa's winner after Lucas Paqueta's penalty for the Hammers cancelled out Amadou Onana's opener.

  12. Emery on Konsa's fitness, Champions League draw and Chelsea 'test'published at 15:13 GMT 21 February

    Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Saturday's visit of Chelsea in the Premier League (17:30 GMT).

    Here are the key lines from his news conference:

    • Emery said Ezri Konsa could return on Saturday: "He did the composition work with the players. I will test him and in case he is feeling good he will be in the squad. Konsa could be with us in the squad."

    • On Leon Bailey, he added: "Leon trained yesterday and, the same like Konsa, I think in case he's training today normally, he will be available to be in the squad and the possibility to play tomorrow."

    • He added that Ross Barkley is "a little bit slower than we wanted" but will return to training "in a few days" while Amadou Onana and Boubacar Kamara will be "two or three weeks". Axel Disasi is ineligible against this parent club.

    • On drawing Club Brugge in the Champions league round of 16: "Happy we are in the last 16, and happy with the draw, but every team they are in the last 16 deserve to be there. We played against Brugge [in the League Phase] and we knew their capacity to compete."

    • On what a win could mean for Villa's season: "Tomorrow, Chelsea is really a very good test, collectively, individually, very good test. In the table we are more or less under our target, and tomorrow we have to try to get this opportunity again to try to compete and to try to get three points."

    • When asked about individual mistakes, Emery said: "Some lost balls when we are building up, some individual duels we are not winning. It's how we can build our idea, our style, our structure, getting stronger. This is the first objective I have, always, because I think, through it, we will win more matches than we will lose."

    • He said his new signings are trying "as soon as possible" to integrate into Villa's style, adding: "Progressively, again, trying to build a team in our structure, to get stronger. Try to get collectively, tactically, our structure as strong as possible, defensively, offensively. This is the task I have, and of course the players as well, they are involved in this commitment."

    Listen to live commentary of Aston Villa v Chelsea starting on BBC Sports Extra then moving to BBC Radio 5 Live from 17:30 on Saturday

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  13. Did you know?published at 13:53 GMT 21 February

    Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD4 match between Club Brugge KV and Aston Villa FCImage source, Getty Images

    Aston Villa will meet Club Brugge for just the second time in European competition, with the first meeting between the two sides also coming in the Champions League this season, a 1-0 League Phase win for Club Brugge at Jan Breydel Stadium.

  14. Villa will be 'delighted' with Champions League drawpublished at 12:02 GMT 21 February

    Aston Villa players line-up before their league phase defeat against Club BruggeImage source, Getty Images

    Gary Thompson says he is "very pleased" with his former side Aston Villa's Champions League last-16 draw against Club Brugge.

    Villa lost 1-0 to the Belgian side during the league phase after a bizarre penalty conceded by Tyrone Mings, but have avoided a knockout tie against one of Europe's elite after finishing in the top eight.

    "Aston Villa will be delighted," Thompson told The Football News Show. "Obviously, if we get through it does get difficult. It's a great opportunity.

    "We have brought in players to help the squad and it's looking very good, potentially. Everyone looks at the quality of Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford.

    "Rashford hasn't played well in the past 18 months, but he looks a lot sharper and hungrier.

    "Asensio is a fantastic footballer and if you add that to what we've got you have got to be happy with that.

    "Villa will have learned a lesson [after Club Brugge beat them in the league phase].

    "To be fair, there was very little in the game. If we come with the players we've got now, we have got a decent team. We shouldn't fear anybody at the minute."

  15. Champions League last-16 draw madepublished at 11:24 GMT 21 February

    Champions League trophyImage source, Getty Images

    The Champions League draw has been completed, with teams now knowing who they play in the last16 and their possible route to the final.

    • Club Brugge v Aston Villa

    • Borussia Dortmund v Lille

    • Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid

    • Bayern Munich v Bayer Leverkusen

    • PSV v Arsenal

    • Feyenoord v Inter Milan

    • Paris St-Germain v Liverpool

    • Benfica v Barcelona

    The first legs will take place on 4/5 March, with the return meetings the following week.

    Read more about the Champions League schedule on our live page

    The tournament tree for the knockout stages of the 2024-25 Champions League