Still on track for a domestic cup double, Chelsea seek a spot in the fifth round of the FA Cup when Aston Villa travel to Stamford Bridge on Friday evening.
The Blues will compete for EFL Cup glory thanks to a 6-1 battering of Middlesbrough on Tuesday night, while their visitors coincidentally overcame the same opponents in FA Cup round three.
Before the Blues faithful can get overly excited about a EFL Cup Wembley sojourn, Pochettino’s men have an FA Cup fourth-round tie to win after they cruised past Preston North End 4-0 in their opening encounter, and it has been nine years since Chelsea were last forced to exit in the fourth round.
Still rebuilding the Stamford Bridge walls, Chelsea’s crushing of Middlesbrough represented the Blues’ seventh home win on the trot across all competitions, and the hosts are also on an eight-game Stamford Bridge winning streak in the FA Cup, but a perpetual knockout specialist will be barking orders from the visiting dugout this week.
Not since 2010 have Chelsea and Villa shared the spoils in a goalless draw, though, and the Lions also clinched back-to-back wins and back-to-back clean sheets over the Blues at Stamford Bridge in 2023, offering hope to the visiting faithful that Emery’s crop can subject the EFL Cup finalists to a rude awakening.
