Morning all! The Premier League is back after the last international break of the season and matchday 32 kicks off at Villa Park as rockbottom Aston Villa host Chelsea.

It's Villa's first game since the departure of Remi Garde, but before we get into all that, let's take a look at the team news that is just reaching us from Birmingham.

VILLA XI: Guzan; Hutton, Richards, Lescott, Cissokho; Sanchez, Westwood, Gueye; Gil, Gestede, Ayew
Subs: Okore, Bacuna, Sinclair, Veretout, Bunn, Lyden, Grealish

CHELSEA XI: Courtois; Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Miazga, Baba; Mikel, Fabregas; Pedro, Loftus-Cheek, Kenedy; Remy
Subs: Begovic, Jake Clarke-Salter, Matic, Oscar, Traore, Pato, Falcao

Starting with the home side, Villa make two changes from the defeat to Swansea City two weeks ago. Captain Micah Richards returns in place of Ciaran Clark at the back, while in midfield Carlos Sanchez is preferred to Jordan Veretout. Jack Grealish is back on the bench, but Adama Traore misses out.

For Chelsea, the big news is that American 20-year-old Matt Miazga makes his Blues debut at centre-back with no John Terry or Gary Cahill in the squad today.

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In total there are four changes from Guus Hiddink, with Miazga, Baba Rahman, Pedro and Ruben Loftus-Cheek in for Terry, Cahill, Oscar and Willian. Strikers Radamel Falcao and Alexandre Pato – still to make his debut – are both on the bench.

Pato is likely to make his long-awaited Blues debut today, especially with Diego Costa suspended. The latter was hit with a further one-match ban and fined £20,000 by the Football Association yesterday for his reaction to being sent off in last month's FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Everton. He'll miss today's game and next week's trip to Swansea.

Speaking of suspensions, one man not in the Villa squad today is Gabriel Agbonlahor. The striker was suspended by the club after pictures emerged last weekend of the 29-year-old allegedly smoking a shisha pipe while on a mini holiday in the United Arab Emirates during the international break.

So a pretty bad week for Villa then after they decided to part company with Garde, who managed to win just two of his 20 matches in charge. Eric Black is in caretaker charge of the club today, but they are looking to appoint a long-term successor soon.

Interestingly, one of Villa's new directors David Bernstein has just said on BT Sport that the club wants an "English manager" with plenty of experience both in the Championship and the Premier League. Nigel Pearson is already one of the frontrunners, along with David Moyes, and the former Leicester boss ticks both those bo

Moyes and Pearson head the betting to be Villa's next manager, while other names linked with the post are Steve Bruce and Mick McCarthy. Garry Monk and Ruud Gullit are reportedly interested in the post, while ex-Newcastle boss John Carver revealed yesterday that he has applied for

So Villa are in real trouble and probably will not be long before they are confirmed as relegated. With seven games of the season to go, the Villa Park outfit are 12 points from safety and set to be relegated for the first time in the Premier League era.

In fact, only two teams – Derby in 2008 and Sunderland in 2010 – have had fewer points after 31 games of a Premier League campaign than Villa's 16 this season.

At home Villa have really struggled this term, winning just two and scoring only 11 goals in their last 16 matches at Villa Park. Today they come up against a side hard to beat on the road.

Chelsea are still unbeaten in the Premier League since Guus Hiddink was appointed interim manager until the end of the season. In their last six away league games, Chelsea have won four and drawn two, conceding just two goals in that time.

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STAT: In fact, victory today for Chelsea would be their 200th away from home in the Premier League. Only Man United (245) and Arsenal (208) have more wins on the road in Premier League history.

The Blues also have a pretty good record in recent years against Villa. Chelsea have won seven of the last eight league games against the Villans, with the exception being a 1-0 away defeat two years ago.

This is Black's sixth time as a caretaker manager

H2H STAT: The opening goal has come in the opening 15 minutes in six of the last eight Premier League matches between the Blues and the Villans.

When these two last met in October they both had different managers in the dugout, with Jose Mourinho's Chelsea coming out on top 2-0 thanks to a goal from Diego Costa and an own goal by Alan Hutton.

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One player who particularly enjoys facing Villa is today's Chelsea captain Branislav Ivanovic. The Serbian defender has scored five Premier League goals against them, more than versus any other opponent.

PREDICTION: Although 10th-placed Chelsea don't have too much left to fight for this season, they should still put another nail in Villa's coffin today. I'll say 2-0 to the Blues.

Here come the two teams at Villa Park. It's a bit of an odd atmosphere, with many of the home fans holding up signs saying "Proud History, What Future?".

Just looking at the readers' poll on our pre-match preview and itt loks like most of you agree with me and a Chelsea win – 82% of you favouring the visitors.

KICKOFF! Villa get us underway. Chelsea in their dark away strip today.

First bit of neat play as Chelsea work the ball to Fabregas in the inside-right channel. His cross is blocked out for a corner, which Villa deal with comfortably.

Speaking of Fabregas, he scored both goals in Chelsea's last match – a 2-2 draw with West Ham – and has never been on the losing side when he's scored in the Premier League (38 games).

Chelsea seeing more of the ball with about 60% possession early on, but still we await the first shot at goal.

Free kick to Villa on the left wing as Fabregas handballs. Good position, this, and Gestede is always a danger in the air...

Gil's delivery is a decent one into the middle and Richards gets up to meet it, but he can't direct it on target.

CLOSE! Chelsea win a corner and Villa are only able to clear it to Pedro, who beats one man on the edge of the box before curling a shot just wide of the target. Great effort.

Chelsea break out from a corner as Fabregas pings the ball out to Remy on the left. The Frenchman then feeds Kenedy, who cuts inside before just overhitting his clever through-ball to Loftus-Cheek.

SHOT! Villa test Courtois for the first time as Gestede's stinging low drive is parried by the Belgian.

Jeers from the away fans as Hutton takes on a bouncing ball 25 yards out and slices it comically up into the air and not even near the goal.

Villa supporters taking the mick out of their own team here as they "Ole" every pass before Gil loses possession.

Chelsea have the ball in the net and it's a really tidy finish from Pedro, but he was offside when the ball was lifted over the top.

CHELSEA SUB: Two months after signing for Chelsea, Pato is on for his Blues debut as Remy is forced off with an injury. Sarcastic cheers from the away end as the Brazilian takes to the field for the first time in the Premier League.

The camera pans to Falcao on the bench and he doesn't look too happy, to say the least.

And now the Chelsea fans give a big cheer as Pato takes his first touch!

A first Premier League goal for the 20-year-old Englishman as his shot takes a deflection off Lescott and rolls past Guzan. Mikel showed quick feet in the middle to beat his man and then feed Azpilicueta down the right. The Spaniard crossed low and Loftus-Cheek was there to tuck home.

BOOKINGS! Gueye and Fabregas are both booked by Neil Swarbrick after a coming-together in the middle.

SAVES! Villa almost level! Courtois tips out Gil's shot and Baba then tries to hack clear but only manages to smash it into the advancing Ayew, who almost scores a freak goal but is denied by Courtois on the line.

And now a free kick to Villa right on the edge of the box as Fabregas slides in and takes out Ayew. The Spaniard is on a booking, remember, but that would have been harsh to send him off there.

SHOT! Ayew dusts himself down and takes the free kick, curling it up and over the wall, but Courtois is across and saves easily.

SAVE! Baba wins the ball back and Chelsea have numbers going forward. Fabregas feeds it back to the full-back and he tries to beat Guzan at the near post, but the American makes a good stop.

Chelsea free kick and Fabregas's floated delivery to the back post is met on the stretch by Miazga. The youngster tries to find a teammate in the six-yard box, but Guzan is alert and cuts it out.

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CLOSE! Nice stuff from Villa as Gil flicks the ball round the corner for Ayew in the box. He rides a couple of challenges before squeezing off a shot that dribbles just past the post.

Villa have played some decent stuff here and there, but they are a little careless in possession.

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**43 min**

5 CLOSE! Loftu-s-Cheek close to a second as he looks for the far corner with a low side-footer. Guzan iws sorrwo worried, but luckily for Villa it rolls wide.

CLOSE! Loftus-Cheek close to a second as he looks for the far corner with a low side-footer. Guzan is worried, but luckily for Villa it rolls wide.

PENALTY TO CHELSEA! Cissokho hauls over Pato at the back post and is booked. Could have been sent off for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.

It's debutant Pato who takes the ball and he fires the penalty into the corner. Guzan got a fingertip to it, but the penalty was too powerful. Well-taken and some way to introduce yourself!

Chelsea in full control at the break then thanks to first Preemier League goals from bohth Loftus-Cheek and Pato. Surely there's no way back for Villa? We'll be back soon for the second 45, don't go anywhere!

Second half moments away and Chelsea will be making a second change. Oscar is stripped and ready to come on.

CHELSEA SUB: It's Kenedy off to replaced by his fellow Brazilian.

Not bad!

KICKOFF! Chelsea get us back underway at Villa Park.

Lovely stuff! Substitutes Oscar and Pato exchange passes with a well-worked one-two before the former cuts back for Pedro to stroke home from eight yards.

SHOT! Chelsea not taking their foot off the gas as Oscar cuts in and curls a shot at goal that Guzan spills but then collects at the second attempt.

Ayew, booked in the first half remember, is lucky not to get sent off here. He was unhappy with Pato's challenge and seemed to raise his hand to the Brazilian's face. Swarbrick lets him off.

SHOT! More like it from the Ghanaian as he lets fly on the volley from 25 yards and stings the palms of Courtois.

So as it stands in the Premier League, Chelsea are up to ninth on 44 points and within seven of the top four. They couldn't, could they?

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5 Here's

Here's a stat from @OptaJoe on Twitter: "6 - Pato is the sixth Brazilian player to score on his Premier League debut (Geovanni, Robinho, Gilberto, Ilan, Willian). Impact."

Shocking again from Villa as Pato is given loads of time to line up a shot. It's not a great effort and Guzan should hold it, but he palms it out carelessly and there's Pedro to squeeze home from a tight angle for his second goal.

BOOKING! Third Villa player into the book as Sanchez brings down Loftus-Cheek after a sharp turn of pace by the young midfielder.

VILLA SUBS: Black finally makes some changes, with Grealish and Bacuna on for Gil and Sanchez.

Bacuna was quoted in midweek saying that he wants to play in the Champions League and it's clearly riled Villa fans, who are chanting "Champions League, you're having a laugh!".

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8 CLOSE! Grealish with instantly doe makes an impact, jinking past two players down the right before fizzing over a low cross that just evades Westwood's toe at the back post.

Villa want a penalty as Pedro clumsily challenges Grealish. The Villa man slowed down and invited the tackle, but that certainly could have been given. Swarbrick shakes his head.

Half-chance for Villa as Courtois's punch only reaches Westwood, who takes on an ambitious first-time volley and shoots wide.

CHELSEA SUB: Final change for the visitors as two-goal forward Pedro comes off for 18-year-old Jake Clarke-Salter, who makes his debut.

CHANCE! Plenty of Villa fans leaving the stadium now as they go close to a consolation. Ayew crossed for Gestede, but the big striker couldn't quite get a toe to the ball.

BOOKING! Hutton into the book for clumsily taking out Pato out on the left.

VILLA SUB: Moments after Swarbrick somehow failed to give Villa a corner, the hosts make their final change. Lyden on for Gueye.

CLOSE! Chelsea left-back Baba has got forward a lot in the second half and he's just gone close to a goal with an outside-of-the-boot effort that rolled just wide.

It just goes from bad to worse for Villa as Hutton is sent off for a second yellow card. Dangerous tackle and Swarbrick was in no doubt.

BOOKING! Villa losing their heads here. Westwood goes in recklessly on Baba and becomes the fifth Villa player in the book.

The home side push for a consolation and break well from a Chelsea corner, but Grealish drags his volley wide at the back post after good work down the right from Ayew.

Three minutes more for Villa fans to endure, although there's not many left inside Villa Park now.

One of the lowest days in what has been a woeful season for Villa as they lose 4-0 at home and have a man sent off against Chelsea. The crowd was in a sarcastic mood throughout and they might now be confirmed as down next week.

Thanks for joining Sports Mole this afternoon. Click back to the homepage for much more live Premier League action. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, or at least try to if you're a Villa fan!