Aston Villa v Chelsea - Sunday 16:00 (live on Sky Sports 1)

Premier League / Editor / 31 August 2007 / Leave a Comment

Good performance from Essien crucial to Chelsea getting three points at the Villa

Villa have not lost to Chelsea on home soil in the league since 1999 but are still available at 6.4 to beat the Londoners.

Villa also achieved a home League Cup and Premiership double over Chelsea in 2002/3, but they have failed to beat Chelsea since then and their table-topping opponents head to Villa Park looking to extend their unbeaten run at the start the 2007/8 season to five games. They are also enjoying the longest current unbeaten run in the Premiership of 18 matches and clearly punters do not believe the record is under threat.

Jose Mourinho's side have been cut to 2.34 favourites to regain the Premiership crown they lost to 4.4 shots Manchester United last season after opening the campaign with three victories and a battling 1-1 draw at new second favourites Liverpool (4.2).

The Blues have not really struck top form yet this season, but are back to getting results in the way they did in their two Premiership winning campaigns, and can be backed at 1.71 to follow up their narrow win over Portsmouth last Saturday.

None of their games so far have been settled by more than a goal, making the likes of a 1-0 Chelsea win (7) and 2-1 (8.8) among the more popular correct scores.

The corresponding fixture last year finished 0-0 (10.5) but both sides are starting to demonstrate attacking flair and there will be a big price on offer for a repeat of the 3-2 Villa win in 2004.

The clean sheet Petr Cech kept at Stamford Bridge last weekend was also the first one kept by either side in a Chelsea game in 2007/8, a total of five games including the Community Shield, and it will be interesting to see how the respective Chelsea and Villa clean sheet markets develop closer to kick-off on Sunday.

Martin O'Neill's men have made a relatively positive start to the season, going undefeated in their last three games and finally finding some scoring form in midweek - sadly the five goals only came against League Two Wrexham, but it should have done something for their confidence.

They could give new signing Zat Knight a debut at the back and, if he stiffens up an already decent defence, clean sheet prices for Villa could be worth a look when the market develops.

Remember also that there will be plenty of in-play action available on this game, worth bearing in mind as all bar one of Aston Villa's eight goals this season has been scored in the second-half.