Aston Villa vs Chelsea FC preview - Vlaar back in Villa frame

Posted Friday, February 06, 2015 by PA

Captain Ron Vlaar could return for Aston Villa against Chelsea in Saturday's Barclays Premier League match after resuming training this week.

The defender has been sidelined with a knee injury since limping out against Crystal Palace on New Year's Day.

Philippe Senderos is likely to sit out again with his calf problem and Libor Kozak continues to recover from a broken leg but Joe Cole may make the squad after a hamstring injury.

Christian Benteke has been watching video nasties after boss Paul Lambert revealed they have gone back to basics to revive his season.

The striker has bagged just two league goals this term after returning from a ruptured Achilles in October.

Villa have failed to score in 10 hours and 12 minutes in the league - since Benteke netted against Manchester United in December.

But the striker has struggled since and has been studying videos with the Villa coaching staff of where he can improve in a bid to rescue his form.

Lambert said: "He has looked at them himself, it's not something which has gone unnoticed by anyone. We look at them and show him things. It will make him stronger.

"He is not naive, he knows what's going on. The big thing is to help him and help the team get him back to where he was.

"He could well be (watching videos at home), but we have sat with him as staff and showed him things he can improve on."

Deadline day signing Juan Cuadrado could make his Chelsea and fit again playmaker Cesc Fabregas could also feature for the leaders.

Filipe Luis (calf) remains out, alongside the suspended Diego Costa, who serves the second of his three-match ban for his stamp on Liverpool's Emre Can.

Jose Mourinho could be tempted to restore Petr Cech in goal after Thibaut Courtois' uncharacteristic mistake in the build-up to Manchester City's equaliser last Saturday, while Kurt Zouma is again likely to start in defence ahead of Gary Cahill.

Mourinho spoke publicly for the first time in 10 days on Friday and refused to hide his simmering resentment towards the media over Costa's suspension.

The Blues boss, who risked a Premier League fine for avoiding media duties either side of last weekend's draw with City, was unhappy with the portrayal of the challenge between Costa and Can.

Asked why he had not spoken to the media since immediately after advancing to the Capital One Cup final at Liverpool's expense on January 27, Mourinho said: "Because if you (the media) want, you can make a silence very noisy. Depends what you want to do.

"You could make noise with my silence, because you know the reason for my silence. It depends on you. If I was a journalist I could make from silence, lots of words."

Mourinho in December spoke of a "clear campaign" against his side.

He was fined B#25,000 the day after the Liverpool win for those comments.

Asked if the reason for his absence was because of Costa's suspension Mourinho, who chose not to discuss the incident, said: "Not just (Costa's ban). I don't reflect. Maybe I'm punished to reflect.

"Maybe they (football's authorities) can read my reflection and (that) I don't want."

Managers are required to speak before and after matches under Premier League broadcast regulations.

Mourinho, who often wears a smile but did not on Friday, added: "You know why I'm here so you cannot expect that I'm super happy to be here."

Mourinho responded "yes" when asked if he was in attendance because he was required to be.

He risks a fine from the Premier League for his absence, although possibly not as big a financial penalty as the one which he would likely have been subjected to had he spoken around the City clash.

"You know the only surprise I had in relation to that was to be punished when I was pushed by another manager (Arsenal's Arsene Wenger)," Mourinho said.

"Apart from that I can expect everything."