Team News: Chelsea make three changes for Aston Villa game

Chelsea have made three changes for Saturday's Premier League fixture at Aston Villa.

On the back of the 5-0 defeat at Arsenal earlier in the week, Mauricio Pochettino making alterations was a foregone conclusion.

With Enzo Fernandez missing out having undergone groin surgery, Cole Palmer has been selected in midfield after recovering from illness, with Conor Gallagher dropping into a deeper role.

Pochettino has also opted to make two changes to his backline, bringing Thiago Silva back into the team as a replacement for Axel Disasi.

Rather than use Disasi at right-back instead of Alfie Gilchrist, Trevoh Chalobah has been used on that side of the backline.

Carney Chukwuemeka and Raheem Sterling have joined Chelsea's unavailable list, leaving them with just two outfield players on the substitutes' bench who possess a Premier League start.

Meanwhile, Unai Emery has made just the one change to the Villa XI that started the 3-1 victory over Bournemouth last weekend.

Douglas Luiz is able to return to the midfield having served a two-game ban, with Moussa Diaby dropping down to the substitutes' bench.

Matty Cash remains at right-back, rather than Ezri Konsa who stays in the middle, while Morgan Rogers continues to hold down a role on the left.

Aston Villa: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Bailey, McGinn, Luiz, Rogers; Tielemans; Watkins

Subs: Olsen, Carlos, Chambers, Lenglet, Diaby, Duran, Kesler-Hayden, Iroegbunam, Kellyman

Chelsea: Petrovic; Chalobah, Silva, Badiashile, Cucurella; Caicedo, Gallagher, Palmer; Madueke, Jackson, Mudryk

Subs: Bettinelli, Curd, Gilchrist, Disasi, Acheampong, Casadei, Dyer, George, Washington