Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca makes honest Aston Villa top-four admission amid midweek 'advantage' debate

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is looking at Sunday’s meeting with Aston Villa as a top-four clash, despite the visitor’s recent struggles and subsequent league position.

Villa have taken just two points from their last four Premier League games - part of a seven-game winless run across all competitions - and currently sit down in eighth. Unai Emery’s side appear to be struggling with the demands of midweek Champions League football, having played brilliantly to qualify in the previous campaign.

But things are tight towards the top and with all but Liverpool experiencing dips in form, Villa could easily find themselves back up there and victory at Stamford Bridge would pull them level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea. And Maresca will not be fooled by the Villains current league position ahead of their visit to London.

Asked whether his side are facing a top-four rival on Sunday, Maresca told Football.London: "Absolutely. I see Aston Villa as a very good team. In the last two or three years, especially with their new manager and sporting director. Last night [Wednesday], they played Juventus; they're playing Champions League already. For sure, they are there and want to be there."

Villa might be happy to boast an extra day’s rest compared to their hosts, with this weekend’s clash only kicking off on a Sunday because Chelsea were in Europa Conference League action on Thursday. But Maresca’s side cruised to a 2-0 win over Heidenheim, even with wholesale rotation as 10 changes were made from their 2-1 defeat of Leicester City last week.

Nicolas Jackson, Enzo Fernandez, Noni Madueke and Cole Palmer were among those given the night off and so will be raring to go come Sunday. But that does not give Chelsea an obvious advantage over Villa, who went full strength to draw 0-0 at home to Juventus 24 hours prior.

“You can also say they play yesterday [Wednesday] and we play tonight [Thursday],” the Blues boss added. “We arrive [home] very late and it is already Friday. For sure, we change players but hopefully we can do this all season because imagine if we didn't have the chance to change players.

"You arrive late, it's not easy and especially the strange thing, sometimes you play tomorrow on Friday and then play Thursday and on Sunday. Southampton, they don't play any European competition. This is not something normal. We have two days after Sunday's game and they have almost a week, six days - this is something not normal. But we are going to try and prepare the game in the best way and try to win."

Villa will make a late call on midfielder Amadou Onana before Sunday’s trip to Stamford Bridge, while Jacob Ramsey remains sidelined. Meanwhile, Chelsea will hope to have Pedro Neto and Malo Gusto fit again, following injury and illness respectively.