Sports Mole previews Chelsea's Premier League trip to Aston Villa, who face the title favourites having not scored in over 600 minutes of top-flight football.

Aston Villa will do well to end their miserable run of form when they host Premier League leaders Chelsea on Saturday afternoon.

The Blues maintained their five-point advantage at the top of the table by holding closest rivals Manchester City to a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge last weekend.

While Jose Mourinho's side were accused of lacking the ambition to win the game, the result puts them in command of the title race with 15 games left in the season.

Chelsea are not in top gear at present, though, having failed to win any of their last four matches in all competitions in 90 minutes - they needed extra time to beat Liverpool in the Capital One Cup semi-finals.

This could be described as a blip considering Chelsea's high standards, but it is nothing compared to how their opponents have been suffering lately, with Villa winless in eight league games and down to 16th.

A 5-0 drubbing at Arsenal was a new low for Paul Lambert's men, and it meant that there have been 612 minutes since they netted the last of their 11 top-flight goals this season - Chelsea have as many in their last five games.

Having said that, the Scot is unlikely to make major changes to the side which was thrashed at the Emirates Stadium. Ashley Westwood and Aly Cissokho could return at the expense of Carlos Sanchez and Kieran Richardson.

Ron Vlaar will be back in the matchday squad, but is unlikely to start after a knee injury. The Dutch international defender has not played since New Year's Day and keeping him fit could be key to Villa's survival hopes.

Christian Benteke, Andreas Weimann and Gabriel Agbonlahor have all been guilty of profligacy, with the latter paying for it with his place in the team, but Carles Gil has looked bright since arriving from Valencia and may be the catalyst for improvement in attacking areas.

In contrast, the division's top scorers Chelsea have such a luxury of goal getters that they can afford to lose top marksman Diego Costa, who has six more goals than the whole Villa squad combined, to suspension and still be full of firepower.

Remy should again get the nod ahead of Didier Drogba in Costa's absence. The main supplier of Chelsea's goals, Cesc Fabregas, may not be risked due to a muscle strain and so Ramires, who has been sent off on his last two visits to Villa Park, should continue in midfield.

Juan Cuadrado has been tipped to shine in the Premier League following his £26.1m deadline-day move from Fiorentina, but will likely have to start life in England on the bench, with any of Chelsea's attacking midfield three hard to shift - just ask Andre Schurrle.

Former Villa defender Gary Cahill will likely be with him among the substitutes due to Kurt Zouma's impressive emergence. Cesar Azpilicueta will also feature in defence, with Filipe Luis's calf injury ruling him out.

The hosts beat Mourinho's men 1-0 in the Midlands last season, but lost September's reverse fixture 3-0.

Villa:

Form in Premier League: LDDLLL
Form in all competitions: DWLLWL

Possible starting lineup: Guzan; Hutton, Okore, Clark, Cissokho; Westwood, Cleverley, Delph; Gil, Weimann, Benteke

Chelsea:

Form in Premier League: WDLWWD
Form in all competitions: WWDLDD

Possible starting lineup: Courtois; Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry, Azpilicueta; Matic, Ramires; Hazard, Oscar, Willian; Remy

Sports Mole says: 0-3