Chelsea vs Aston Villa Prediction 26.01.2024

• Competition: FA Cup - Fourth Round
• Date: Friday, 26th, January 2024
• Kickoff: 19:45 UK / 20.45 CET
• Venue: Stamford Bridge (London)

Chasing a double success in the English Cup, Chelsea will be battling for progression in the fifth round of the FA Cup against the Premier League surprise package Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on Friday.

Chelsea vs Aston Villa Betting Tips: Chelsea to Win

Mauricio Pochettino's squad has booked a spot in the League Cup final after resiliently overturning a one-goal deficit against Middlesbrough to crush their Championship rivals in a stunning 6-1 triumph in the return leg, where they will vie for the silverware against the winner of the clash between Fulham and Liverpool.

Riding the momentum from an exceptional display in the Carabao Cup second-leg semifinal, Chelsea will aim to once again dazzle their loyal fans, even though facing an incomparably superior side to Boro, hoping to cruise into the fifth round of the oldest English competition for the first time since the 2021-22 campaign when they were finalists.

In their quest for FA Cup advancement, the Blues hold promising odds, having reached the final three times in the last four editions of this tournament – despite falling short in all three – and showcasing recent dominance on home ground with an impressive streak of six straight victories in various competitions.

Even more impressively, the West London side has finely tuned its targeting devices recently, shaking the opponent's net a remarkable 11 times over the last three official affairs at home, and they'll strive to carry that attacking momentum into Saturday to sidestep a third consecutive setback against the Birmingham outfit.

On the verge of a rematch with Chelsea's Carabao Cup semifinal opponents, the Birmingham Lions managed to breach Middlesbrough's defensive wall in the FA Cup third-round clash in the drowning moments, putting an end to a disheartening streak of seven consecutive third-round eliminations in the world's oldest competition.

Despite embarking on a fairy-tale campaign, sitting fourth with just five points adrift of the table-toppers Liverpool, there's been a subtle dip in performances for Unai Emery's men lately, as the thrilling five-goal comeback against Burnley in the 89th minute stands as their sole triumph in the past four league fixtures.

The importance of playing on their home turf in these single-elimination cup duels is crystal clear for any team, and that includes Chelsea in this case. We're optimistic that Mauricio Pochettino will devise a strategy to eliminate Aston Villa from the FA Cup, particularly given the Birmingham-based club's recent loss of attacking prowess.