Chelsea vs Aston Villa injury news: 4 players ruled out and 10 doubts - will Reece James play?

Aston Villa are back in Premier League action on Saturday afternoon as they make the trip down south to take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Having had a couple of weeks away from competitive football during the international break, The Villans have reset and are now raring to go for the rest of the season.

The time has allowed for a number of players to recover from injury, with a handful potentially ready for this weekend. Philippe Coutinho’s estimated return date was set out as the start of April, so he could be in contention. Boubacar Kamara, who suffered an ankle injury in the 1-0 win over Crystal Palace last month, is being assessed.

Leander Dendoncker is available once again after featuring in the behind-closed-doors friendly defeat to Bristol Rovers last week and as is Diego Carlos, who started that particular fixture at Bodymoor Heath. Unai Emery will have to make do without Matty Cash, however, as he is out for three weeks with a soleus muscle injury.

Experienced defender Ashley Young could be the man to replace the Poland international this weekend but Calum Chambers is also an option. Meanwhile, backup goalkeeper Jed Steer will be out for the rest of the season as he steps up his recovery from a serious Achilles tendon injury.

Chelsea team news vs Aston Villa

Graham Potter’s side have an extensive list of players who could miss out this weekend but the majority have been able to recover somewhat throughout the internationals. Raheem Sterling, Wesley Fofana and Reece James (all hamstring), for instance, are a trio strongly in contention as they have all been spotted in training this week.

Out-of-sorts attacker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (back) was another pictured at Cobham, whereas Kai Havertz (illness), Mason Mount (pubic bone), Edouard Mendy (hand) and Cesar Azpilicueta (head) are all being assessed ahead of Saturday. Meanwhile, Thiago Silva (knee) is out until mid-April and Armando Broja (also knee) is sidelined for the rest of the season.

Ruled out: Cash, Steer (AVL); Silva, Broja (CHE).

Doubts: Coutinho, Kamara (AVL); Sterling, Fofana, James, Aubameyang, Havertz, Mount, Mendy, Azpilicueta (CHE).