Morgan Rogers believes he’s enjoying the most effective soccer of his profession, as Aston Villa put together to go to Chelsea for what needs to be a stern check of their Premier League title aspirations.
Villa have gained every of their final 10 matches in all competitions and will now equal their all-time membership document of 11 straight victories, set in each September 1897 and March 1914.
Unai Emery’s males are third within the desk going into the festive schedule, solely three factors behind leaders Arsenal and one off Manchester Metropolis in second, they usually have already overwhelmed each of these sides this marketing campaign.
Their sensational run has been thanks in no small half to the type of Rogers, who has now scored 21 targets throughout all competitions for the reason that begin of final season.
On the age of 23 years and 151 days (on Christmas Eve), he’s the youngest participant to internet 20 instances for a Premier League workforce on this interval.
“I really feel like I’m enjoying the most effective I’ve ever performed,” Rogers informed Villa’s web site. “I’m essentially the most assured however that’s additionally inside the workforce.
“The workforce is essentially the most assured it has been since I’ve been right here. It’s no shock particular person performances rise once we’re doing properly as a collective.
“We’re all assured in one another, the supervisor’s assured in us and we go on the market and we really feel like we’re going to win each sport.”
However on Saturday, Rogers will come up in opposition to one other of England’s finest inventive gamers, with Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca confirming Cole Palmer is lastly able to play a full sport.
After spending over two months on the sidelines with groin and toe accidents, Palmer has featured in Chelsea’s final 4 Premier League matches however has not performed the complete 90 minutes in any of them.
“I feel he’s prepared for 90 minutes. The development for a participant is 45, one hour, then 70,” Maresca informed reporters on Wednesday.
“He already performed one hour in opposition to Everton. He performed greater than 70 in opposition to Newcastle, so I feel the development is there.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Chelsea – Enzo Fernandez
Fernandez has created extra possibilities from open play (24) and made extra passes breaking the opponent’s defensive position (17) than some other Chelsea participant within the Premier League this season.
No Chelsea participant has scored greater than 5 Premier League targets this marketing campaign (Joao Pedro and Pedro Neto), so they are going to hope the Argentina can create some openings for his team-mates.
Aston Villa – Morgan Rogers
Rogers has been instantly concerned in additional Premier League targets than some other English participant throughout the opening 17 matchdays of this season (10 – seven targets, three assists).
He might turn out to be solely the third Villa participant to internet two or extra targets in three consecutive appearances within the competitors, too, after Dean Saunders (1992) and Dion Dublin (1998).
MATCH PREDICTION – CHELSEA WIN
Aston Villa have gained their final seven league video games, final having an extended run as a top-flight aspect between October and December 1910 (9 consecutive victories).
The Villans have additionally gained 12 of their 21 Premier League away video games in opposition to London sides beneath Emery (D4 L5), extra wins than they managed of their earlier 59 (W11 D10 L38).
They usually have gained three of their 5 Premier League video games in opposition to Chelsea beneath Emery (D1 L1), as many as of their earlier 20 in opposition to the Blues earlier than he arrived (D3 L14).
However Chelsea have a tendency to show up within the greatest video games and have residence benefit on their aspect.
Again residence for the go to of Villa within the #PL. pic.twitter.com/NnTEAZNDN0
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) December 24, 2025
Chelsea are unbeaten within the three Premier League video games they’ve performed this season in opposition to groups beginning the day above them within the desk, beating Liverpool 2-1 and Tottenham 1-0, and drawing 1-1 with Arsenal.
However ought to Chelsea lose right here, they are going to have misplaced extra residence league matches this season (three) than they did in Maresca’s first full marketing campaign in 2024-25 (W12 D5 L2).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Chelsea – 42.7%
Aston Villa – 30.6%
Draw – 26.7%
