A quick mention on what happens next in Europe and while there is a desire to go as far as possible, when you get to this stage, all games are going to be tough, but we now know what happens all the way to the final. And if we beat Club Brugge, there is a chance we'll be playing Liverpool, if they can beat PSG. And if we beat Liverpool or PSG and if Arsenal beat PSV and one of the teams from Madrid, then we'll have to beat them in the semi-finals. Probably to meet Bayern or Barcelona in the final.
I'm not getting carried away, Club Brugge is going to be tough, but if it's Liverpool and Arsenal to get to the final, I'd take that. Liverpool earlier in the week didn't look that scary and cards on the table, we should have won. And Arsenal, well they probably wont get that far, so nothing to worry about. It will be a side from Madrid in the semi-finals and who knows.
That's enough on Europe for now, it's Chelsea today and this will be tough too. Every match is going to be tough and I think I'm going to write it; we're at the business end of the season. And I don't think it's too early with 12 matches left. Especially because it's 13 left for most of the others.
And the reason today is going to be tough is because for however bad we might think Chelsea are at the moment, they're still doing better than us over the last six and they've got quality throughout the side. And we're also quite possibly starting with just one recognised central defender as Axel Disasi can't play.
And even though Chelsea are just marginally better than us on form, they are still sixth and a win for them today could see them in the top four. Chelsea might not be playing the way Chelsea can, but they will come good again soon and it means if we want three points from today, we need to be at our best.
If we approach the match today like we did against Liverpool, we can win. But we need to approach this match that way and not as we did against Ipswich. I'll be back a little later, no idea why I'm up so early!
Match facts from the BBC
Head-to-head
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Aston Villa failed to win any of their four meetings with Chelsea in 2024, drawing two and losing two of those league and cup fixtures.
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The Blues have won 13 Premier League games at Villa Park, only winning more at Southampton and Tottenham, where they have 15 and 16 victories respectively.
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Villa have won just two of their last 11 top-flight home games with Chelsea (D2, L7), beating them 1-0 in March 2014 and 2-1 in May 2021.
Aston Villa
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Aston Villa are unbeaten in 13 Premier League home games, winning six and drawing seven.
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However, they've gone five top-flight matches without a win, drawing four and losing once.
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Villa have lost just one of their last 22 Premier League home games played on a Saturday, winning 16 and drawing five.
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The Villans' only clean sheet in their past 16 league and cup games came in last month's 1-0 win at Everton.
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Marcus Rashford has scored four goals in eight Premier League home appearances against Chelsea.
Chelsea
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Chelsea have failed to win any of their past six away games in all competitions, losing the last three in a row.
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The Blues have only accrued nine points from the last nine Premier League games, after taking 34 from their first 16 fixtures this season.
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Enzo Maresca's side have found the net just twice in their past five top-flight away matches - Cole Palmer scored one and the other was an own goal.
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Chelsea failed to muster a shot on target in their 3-0 defeat to Brighton last week – the last time they failed to force the opposition goalkeeper into a save was in September 2021 against Manchester City.
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Cole Palmer's last Premier League assist was for Enzo Fernandez against Aston Villa in December. Since then he's created 33 chances for his team-mates and none of them have been converted.