Dean Smith named an unchanged starting line-up for Aston Villa’s final Premier League match of the season against Chelsea.
With 10,000 supporters back inside Villa Park for the first time after a long 15-month wait, Smith opted for the same XI who impressively claimed a 2-1 victory at Tottenham Hostpur on Wednesday.
Marvelous Nakamba lined up in midfield to register his 50th appearance for Villa in what was the club’s 1,000th Premier League fixture.
The inclusion of Emi Martinez and Matt Targett against the Blues ensured the duo started all 38 league fixtures for the club this term.
There were two changes among the substitutes, with Tom Heaton and Keinan Davis replacing Jed Steer and Ross Barkley, who was ineligible to feature against his parent club.
There were again places on the bench for teenagers Carney Chukwuemeka and Jaden Philogene-Bidace, who made their first-team debuts at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in midweek.
Aston Villa: Martinez, Mings, Targett, Konsa, Hause, El Ghazi, Grealish, McGinn, Nakamba, Traoré, Watkins.
Subs: Heaton, Elmohamady, Chukwuemeka, Davis, Luiz, Taylor, Philogene-Bidace, Wesley, Ramsey.
Chelsea: Mendy, Silva, Rüdiger, James, Azpilicueta, Chilwell, Jorginho, Kovacic, Werner, Mount, Pulisic.
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Ziyech, Hudson-Odoi, Havertz, Giroud, Zouma, Gilmour, Alonso, Christensen.
