Former Celtic star Chris Sutton has backed Chelsea to nick a slender 2-1 victory against Aston Villa in their FA Cup Fourth Round meeting on Friday night (January 26).
Chelsea Have Been In Impressive Form Lately
After a disastrous start to the 2023-24 season, Chelsea have seemingly found their footing. The Blues have been in admirable form in the Premier League lately, securing 12 points from their last five outings. Only Manchester City have bagged more points than Mauricio Pochettino’s side (13) in that period. If the ninth-placed side keep this up, they have a real shot at cracking the top six and securing European soccer for the 2024-25 season.
The Pensioners have also moved into the final of the Carabao Cup, courtesy of their superb 6-1 victory over Middlesbrough in the second leg of the semi-final. They will face Liverpool in the final on February 25 at Wembley.
Sutton Backs Blues To Win But Admits He Has Been Wrong In The Past
Chelsea have surprised and shocked followers throughout the 2023-24 campaign, including BBC columnist Sutton. So, while he backed the west London outfit to come out on top this weekend, he admitted he was not completely confident in his prediction.
He wrote:
“The cups offer a way for Chelsea to save their season, and they are already in the final of the Carabao Cup after beating Middlesbrough.
“Mauricio Pochettino’s side have been getting better, it’s just not the momentous rise we expected. Chelsea can’t afford not to go full pelt at this game but Aston Villa might be thinking about the top four, and Tuesday’s game with Newcastle.”
Sutton added:
“I’d love to see Villa give it a real go in the FA Cup as well, because they have been excellent this season, but I don’t know how Unai Emery will approach it.
“All of this is making me think that Chelsea will edge it, but I have been wrong about them plenty of times this season already.”
Sutton’s Prediction: 2-1 Chelsea
Unlike Chelsea, Unai Emery’s Villa are fighting for a top-four spot this season. They are currently sitting in fourth place in the Premier League standings, three points clear of Tottenham Hotspur. This means they are merely a couple of poor results away from squandering their lead.
The Villans will return to action with a clash against Newcastle United on Tuesday night (January 30). Chelsea, meanwhile, will face league leaders Liverpool on Wednesday (January 31).
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