Aston Villa vs Chelsea LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction as Mason Mount brace seals win

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Young, McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Ramsey, Bailey, Watkins, Ings

Chelsea XI: Arrizabalaga, Chalobah, Thiago Silva, Cucurella, Loftus-Cheek, Mount, Kovacic, Chilwell, Havetz, Aubameyang, Sterling

Steven Gerrard admits he must accept the criticism over Aston Villa’s disappointing season. Villa host Chelsea on Sunday unbeaten in their last four Premier League games, although they have drawn three of them.

Gerrard’s side have won just twice during a hugely-underwhelming campaign so far and they were jeered by their own fans after Monday’s 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest.

It has left the former Rangers boss philosophical about the negative assessment of his team but he remains confident in his processes.

He told a press conference: “I didn’t take this position or my previous coaching positions at Rangers or Liverpool expecting everything to be fantastic every single day.

Aston Villa are on a four-match unbeaten run but have won only four times in 20 league fixtures, losing 10 of those. Howver, they can earn successive Premier League home victories in the same season for the first time since January 2021.

“The table didn’t ever play the game,” was Pep Guardiola’s response when his attention was drawn to the 13-point gap between Manchester City and the side that he still considers to be their closest challengers. Jurgen Klopp may no longer believe that Liverpool are capable of contesting a Premier League title race this season but his greatest rival does. “The opinion I have about this team, nothing changed because of the situation in the table,” Guardiola insisted. “Not one second.”

Guardiola and Klopp are not only the two coaches that have defined English football’s last half-decade. Since Sean Dyche’s dismissal from Burnley, they have also been the top flight’s longest-serving managers as well. Around 10 months separated their appointments at either end of the East Lancs Road. For about four-and-a-half years now, this has been the Premier League’s premier rivalry. It is fair to assume that Guardiola and Klopp know each other - and each other’s football - better than that of any of their other top-flight rivals.

And while Guardiola can be complimentary to the point of insincerity when discussing the merits of any opponent, his admiration for Liverpool has only ever come across as heartfelt and genuine. “In a rival, I have never seen a team like Liverpool in my life,” he said of Klopp’s side at the end of last season, after pipping them to the post on the final day for the second time in four years. “They help us to be a better team season by season, I am 100 per cent convinced of that.”

Manchester City have only won twice in 25 Premier League away matches against Liverpool however, they are vying to remain unbeaten in three consecutive top-flight visits to Anfield for the first time since December 1992.

Liverpool beat City 3-1 in this season’s Community Shield at Leicester’s King Power Stadium.

Liverpool have been hit by injuries in recent weeks with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip and Luiz Duiz joining Curtis Jones, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and Arthur Melo on the sidelines. Klopp said Liverpool came through their 7-1 win over Rangers unscathed, which saw Andy Robertson return.

It may be too soon for the left back to start, but Mohamed Salah is set to return after his hat-trick from the bench at Ibrox. He is set to join the in-form Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota in attack, but Klopp may opt to revert to a three-man midfield so that could mean Darwin Nunez misses out.

Manchester City remain without the England trio of John Stones, Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips. Erling Haaland will return to the starting line-up after being rested against Copenhagen in midweek, as well as Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva. Manuel Akanji may move to right back with Nathan Ake also returning to the defence.

Predicted line-ups

Liverpool: Alisson; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Fabinho, Henderson, Thiago; Salah, Firmino, Jota

Manchester City: Ederson; Akanji, Dias, Ake, Cancelo; Rodri, De Bruyne, Bernardo; Mahrez, Haaland, Foden

Aston Villa’s solitary victory in the last 10 league meetings between these sides came at home on the final day of the 2022/21 season. They have drawn one and lost eight since then.

Chelsea have won six of their last eight away Premier League games against Aston Villa, as many as they had in their first 19 visits.

England and Chelsea defender Reece James looks set to miss next month’s World Cup due to a knee injury that is expected to sideline him for eight weeks.

James, 22, was forced out of Chelsea’s midweek Champions League win over AC Milan and the extent of the problem has been confirmed after consulting with specialists.

Chelsea said in a brief statement on their official website: “Following the knee injury sustained in our away match against AC Milan, Reece has received treatment from the Chelsea medical department and visited a specialist this weekend.

Aston Villa will hope to welcome back Leon Bailey after he missed Monday’s draw at Nottingham Forest, while Matty Cash and Cameron Archer are also set to be available. Villa remain without Boubacar Kamara, Lucas Digne and Ludwig Augustinsson while  Diego Carlos is a long term absentee.

Chelsea will be without Reece James after the right back now a doubt for the World Cup after a leg injury suffered at San Siro. N’Golo Kante and Wesley Fofana are also out. Chelsea have had time to recover from their 2-0 win over AC Milan but Cesar Azpilicueta, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Conor Gallagher and Kai Havertz will be among those hopeful of a recall.

Predicted line-ups

Aston Villa: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Young; Luiz, Ramsey, McGinn; Coutinho; Watkins, Ings

Chelsea: Kepa; Chalobah, Thiago, Koulibaly; Azpilicueta, Loftus-Cheek, Jorginho, Cucurella; Mount, Aubameyang, Sterling

Hello, good afternoon and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of today’s Premier League action.

There are five matches taking place today with Aston Villa vs Chelsea being the main focus of the 2pm kick offs before Liverpool host Manchester City at 4.30pm. Also going head-to-head today are Leeds vs Arsenal, Man Utd vs Newcastle and Southampton vs West Ham with all those games taking place at 2pm.

First up though Chelsea are hoping to continue their impressive form under new boss Graham Potter. They head into the match fourth in the Premier League and can cut the gap on Tottenham (third) to four points with a victory. Aston Villa are steadily building their way into the season, they are unbeaten in four league games (three draws, one win) but only sit two points above the relegation zone. Steven Gerrard will be hoping for a positive result against the Blues to send Villa flying up the table.

The main draw for today though is the evening kick off as Liverpool host Manchester City. City have started the season as would be expected, sitting one point behind league leaders Arsenal with a 10-game unbeaten streak already under their belts. Erling Haaland is a goal machine and has already found the target 15 times in nine league games with the Norwegian a certainty to start at Anfield after sitting out the midweek game against FC Copenhagen. In contrast Jurgen Klopp’s Reds are down in 11th with just two wins from eight matches but they’ll take heart and confidence from a 7-1 mauling of Rangers in the Champions in which Mo Salah got back to goalscoring glory with a six minute and 12 second hat-trick.