Chelsea attacker Christopher Nkunku
Christopher Nkunku was taken off late on against Heidenheim
Aston Villa travel to Stamford Bridge to face Premier League rivals Chelsea this weekend, with the hosts sweating on the fitness of several stars.
Enzo Maresca's squad have hit the ground running post-international break, following up their 2-1 victory over Leicester City with a flawless start in the Conference League, defeating Bundesliga outfit Heidenheim 2-0 on Thursday night. With the festive season upon us, there's no time for rest, and the upcoming clash with Villa is set to be another challenging encounter.
Christopher Nkunku, who has been making waves off the bench in league matches and has an impressive European form, will be looking to make his mark this December. His recent goal in Germany makes him the first Chelsea player to score in each of his initial four major European appearances for the club.
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However, he was substituted in the 76th minute for Carney Chukwuemeka due to injury, and it remains unclear how serious the issue is. Another player hoping to get the green light for the Villa match is Levi Colwill, who received medical attention after the final whistle at Leicester and remained on the bench in Germany, reports football.london.
Pedro Neto, who was absent for the win over Leicester, may also be back in action after sustaining an injury while on international duty. As Maresca mentioned last week, "Pedro, he had a problem with his international team," and "There was a chance he could be with us but we didn't take any risks for this game and, hopefully, he can be available for the next game."
Malo Gusto was also absent from the previous match due to illness, but may now be in the running to return to the starting line-up, potentially taking Benoit Badiashile's place in Maresca's defence. However, fellow wing-back Reece James is currently sidelined with another hamstring injury.
Former Aston Villa academy prospect Omari Kellyman is yet to make a senior appearance for Chelsea since making the move to the club over the summer. He has suffered from injury problems and is set for a loan move in January.