N’Golo Kante set for long-awaited return as Chelsea take on Aston Villa

Premier League action is back in full swing after the international break, with plenty of exciting fixtures on the cards. One of the most highly anticipated matches sees Chelsea host Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge, where N’Golo Kante could make his much-awaited return to the team.

Kante’s long road to recovery

Kante has been out of action since early January due to a hamstring injury, which required surgery. However, the midfielder has been making steady progress in recent weeks and finally participated in an internal game during the international break to regain some match fitness and sharpness.

Chelsea manager Graham Potter has been cautious not to rush Kante back too quickly, knowing the midfielder’s workload needs to be managed. After all, Chelsea has important Premier League fixtures against Liverpool and Wolves coming up soon, as well as a crucial UEFA Champions League quarterfinal tie against Real Madrid.

In Potter’s words, “We need to get N’Golo completely fit for the Real Madrid tie, so we’ll look to give him some minutes in these upcoming games. Our main priority is ensuring he gets back to his best form slowly but surely.”

Villa face tough test against in-form Chelsea

Aston Villa has been having a decent season so far and currently sits just four points behind Chelsea in the Premier League table. However, their task at Stamford Bridge won’t be made any easier by the fact that Chelsea is riding high on confidence following their FA Cup win over Manchester City last month.

Villa also faces the daunting prospect of playing against Joao Felix, who has been performing impressively since joining Chelsea on loan until the end of the season. The forward has already scored two goals for his new club and will undoubtedly pose a significant threat to Villa’s defense.

Despite these challenges, Villa boss Unai Emery is determined to close the gap between his team and the Premier League’s big boys. While he acknowledges that Chelsea has been spending a lot of money recently, Emery believes that Villa can still compete by adding quality players to their squad.

“Our owners are ambitious, and we’re always looking to identify targets who can help us take the next step,” Emery said. “We might not have the same resources as Chelsea, but we’re focused on being competitive in our own way.”

Can Watkins inspire Villa to victory?

One player who could make a significant impact for Villa on Saturday is Ollie Watkins. The striker has been in excellent form lately, scoring in six of his last eight appearances for the club.

Watkins’ scoring record is even more impressive when you consider that Chelsea ranks in the bottom half of the league for shots on target allowed per match. If Villa can create chances for him, there’s no reason why Watkins can’t add to his goal tally against the Blues.

Of course, Chelsea will also be desperate to secure all three points in this fixture as they aim to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League. With both teams evenly matched on paper, it promises to be an enthralling encounter at Stamford Bridge.

Final Thoughts

Chelsea will undoubtedly miss some key players due to injuries, but they’ll still come out strong with their customized strategies for Aston Villa. Meanwhile, Aston Villa will be expecting that their recent results boiling hot form would be enough to help them seal a win at Stamford Bridge. Although there’s no clear favorite between these two teams, one can expect an entertaining and competitive match from both sides.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons