Chelsea Pre-Villa Team News & Injury Update: Hazard, Moses, Lampard & More…

Chelsea welcome relegation-threatened Aston Villa to Stamford Bridge on Saturday lunchtime looking to cement their place in the top-four this season.

Ahead of the game boss Rafa Benitez has been giving his weekly press conference and gave ChelseaFC.com a team news and injury update with the latest on Eden Hazard, Victor Moses, Frank Lampard, Ryan Bertrand and John Obi Mikel.

Belgian attacker Hazard was forced off towards the end of Wednesday night’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham and Benitez confirmed he’s a doubt for Saturday’s action and will be assessed before the game.

Winger Moses was a late substitute in midweek and it seems he may have picked up a knock with Benitez saying he’s been ‘limping’, but he’s expected to be fit and in contention to face Villa. Defender Bertrand is still unavailable but Mikel is back in training and could be in the squad this weekend.

Frank Lampard was an unused substitute against Spurs but Rafa has confirmed the midfielder will play against the Villains, but he refused to commit to starting the 34-year-old in the Europa League final next week.

Here’s what Benitez told the clubs official website:

‘Victor Moses has been limping, Ryan Bertrand is still not available and [John] Mikel Obi was training today, which is good news,’

‘Of the players who played on Wednesday night, Hazard is the only concern so we will need to keep an eye on him.

‘Frank is a great professional, a very good player. I am really pleased with him because he is training very well every day and his fitness is quite good.

‘He will play against Aston Villa and I cannot say anything about the final. We have to play another game and after I will decide the team for the final.’

Benitez is once again expected to re-shuffle his squad with one eye on Wednesday’s Europa League final against Benfica.

Now we’ve seen the team news, what would be your preferred starting eleven for the game? Get involved in the comments section below.