Thomas Tuchel will begin his pursuit for another trophy when Chelsea host Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup third round on Wednesday.
The Blues have looked outstanding thus far and come into this one in red-hot form, having thumped Tottenham 3-0 last time out.
They're up against a Villa side who they put three past just a few weeks ago, but Dean Smith's men have since found their footing, stomping Everton with their own three-goal haul at the weekend to help restore some confidence.
Here's all you need to know about the game.
How to watch Chelsea vs Aston Villa on TV/live stream
When is kick off? Wednesday 22 September, 19:45 (BST)
Where is the match being played? Stamford Bridge
What TV channel is it on? ESPN+ (US)
Highlights? Carabao Cup on Quest TV (UK)
Referee? Graham Scott
Chelsea team news
Tuchel doesn't have too many fitness concerns to deal with here. Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy is battling a hip issue but was always unlikely to start here anyway, leaving Christian Pulisic (ankle) as the only real issue for Chelsea.
Expect to see the Blues rotate heavily for this one, with plenty of fringe players looking to pick up minutes.
Aston Villa team news
Villa may have no choice but to get creative with their lineup. Full-backs Matty Cash and Matt Targett both pulled up against Everton and are unlikely to be risked here, and the same goes for goal-scoring winger Leon Bailey.
Midfielder John McGinn will also likely sit this one out because of the head injury he suffered on Saturday, so he'll join Trezeguet, Keinan Davis and Carney Chukwuemeka on the sidelines.
Chelsea vs Aston Villa predicted lineups
Chelsea: Arrizabalaga; Chalobah, Christensen, Sarr; Hudson-Odoi, Saul, Jorginho, Chilwell; Ziyech, Mount; Werner.
Aston Villa: Steer; Konsa, Tuanzebe, Hause, Young; Nakamba, Sanson; Traore, Buendia, El Ghazi; Watkins
Chelsea vs Aston Villa head-to-head record
We saw these two sides square off just a few days ago, with Chelsea roaring to a 3-0 victory thanks to a Mateo Kovacic masterclass and a double from Romelu Lukaku.
Villa did win the match before that, beating Tuchel's side 2-1 on the final day of the 2020/21 season, and they went unbeaten against the Blues that year after picking up a 1-1 draw in one of Frank Lampard's final games in charge.
That draw ended a run of six straight victories for the Blues, who have emerged victorious in 11 of the last 14 games.
Chelsea vs Aston Villa score prediction
Chelsea won't look like the same side that beat Villa earlier this season, but their ridiculous squad depth should prevent them from taking too much of a drop in quality.
There are plenty of Chelsea players who will feel as though they have a point to prove, but the same goes for Villa, who are trying to force their way into Smith's side after a hit-and-miss start to the season.
There could be a good few goals in this one, but it shouldn't be too much of a problem for Chelsea.
Prediction: Chelsea 3-1 Aston Villa
Source : 90min