By Dan Ripley
Last updated at 2:00 PM on 2nd January 2011

Follow Sportsmail's live coverage of the Barclays Premier League as Chelsea play host to Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge. The Champions will look to continue their revival against a Villa side who are on a woeful run of form going into the game. Email me all your thoughts on the action at dan.ripley@dailymail.co.uk

28min: Yet another silly booking for Villa, with Nigel Reo-Coker going into the book for a needless trip on Drogba.

26min: Villa in danger of losing their heads a little here, Heskey and Young both have both been a little late in their challenges following the goal.

23min: GOAL! CHELSEA 1-0 Aston Villa

When in doubt give it a clout, and that's exactly what Frank Lampard does as he buries the penalty down the centre of the goal with Friedel diving to his right.

Villa's protests continue after the goal with Collins also booked for dissent.

22min: James Collins was leaning all over Malouda in the box and the Frenchman needs no invitation to go down. Definite penalty that sees Friedel booked for dissent.

21min: PENALTY (CHELSEA)

Foot loose: Nicolas Anelka (left) evades the challenge from Ciaran Clark

20min: Reckless from Petrov, he slides in very late on Malouda and has few complaints as he is booked by Lee Mason.

18min: Better from the home side, Nicolas Anelka loops over a ball to the far-post where Malouda jumps to meet it with a header that lacks power as it loops just wide. Chelsea needed Didier Drogba on the end of that cross.

17min: More good play from Villa, they build an attack down the right that ends with Downing firing a shot from just outside the box that Cech comfortably takes.

A few groans from the Chelsea crowd, they know who's on top.

14min: That was too close fro comfort. Ashley Young has looked lively and after turning this way and that he attempts a cross that turns into a shot, with Cech frantically back-pedaling to tip it over the bar.

12min: Plenty of the play is in Chelsea's half, The home side haven't really settled into this but such is the confidence of both sides lately, goals (and chances) seem a long way off.

Rare start: Bruma was impressive enough in the opening exchanges

9min: Houllier will be impressed with the opening to this game, his team are holding their own in the middle if not quite pushing many people in attack.

7min: Hmmm Villa lining up slightly different in attack. Young now looks to be playing off Heskey, with Downing on the right and Agbonalhor on the left. Not too much to speak of in terms of action.

5min: Good reactions from Friedel, Florent Malouda's volley from a ridiculously acute angle looks on target, with the American doing well to get low to his near post and block the attempt out for a corner, which Villa clear.

4min: Speaking of which a long punt from Freidel is headed on by Heskey, with Agbonlahor firing a snap shot wide from the edge of the box, good attempt.

3min: As both sides feel each other out in the early stages, time to say Villa are not playing with three in attack.

Young and Heskey will lead the offence with Gabriel Agbonlahor lined up on the right of midfield.

Kick-off: Emile Heskey and Ashley Young get the ball rolling...

13.29: Looking at Villa's bench there actually seems to be a few handy options there. I admit it has not quite happened for Robert Pires but he has not had that much game time.

13.27: Some early handshakes in the tunnel from John Terry to the opposition, with both teams then making their way out to a near full Stamford Bridge.

13.24: This is an ideal fixture for Lampard to get back up to speed. He has scored nine goals against Villa, no side have suffered more to the midfielder over the years.

13.22: Houllier in his pre-match interview has mentioned that his inclusion of Dunne is based on the centre-backs improvement in training this week.

Again for Villa's sake I'm glad he has put any possible personal disagreements aside to give the Irishman a recall, his experience will be crucial.

13.19: Houllier has copped plenty of stick recently but I do back him on his team selection this afternoon. The Frenchman has opted for the experienced lads and I can see the two banks of four with the support of the team bus defending Friedel's goal.

13.16: If there is one thing on the visitors side, then they surely cannot leave the Bridge with a worse result than last season.

Back when Chelsea were scoring goals for fun, the Blues won the fixture last year 7-1 after a rampant performance that seems a million miles away at the moment.

13.13: If only that was Villa's problems right now. Gerrard Houllier's side are bottom of the form guide over the last six games, with just one win to speak of.

The potential seems to be there in Villa's youngsters but in recent week they have been rabbits in the headlights and as a side in general look shot of any confidence.

13.10: And how thin does this squad look now. Ricardo Carvalho has proven to be a big loss for the champions. When either Alex or John Terry are out there seems to be a crisis in who starts either centre-back or right-back.

The inclusion of Jeffrey Bruma instead of the experienced Bosingwa highlights this.

13.08: A couple of stats from OptaJoe and InfoStradaLive regarding just how bad Chelsea's recent run has been:

34 - This is Chelsea’s lowest points tally after 19 Premier League games since 2001/02 (30 points). Struggle.

Chelsea are in their lowest position at the beginning of a calendar year since starting 2002 in sixth position.

13.05: Jeffrey Bruma is handed his full Barclays Premier League debut as Chelsea make two changes for today's visit of Aston Villa.

Teenage defender Bruma is preferred to Paulo Ferreira as replacement for the suspended Branislav Ivanovic, although Ferreira is recalled at right-back for Jose Bosingwa.

Villa ring the changes for the trip to Stamford Bridge, drafting in the fit-again Ashley Young and Emile Heskey, as well as awarding Richard Dunne and Ciaran Clark their first appearances for four weeks.

13.02: Team news from Stamford Bridge:

Chelsea v Aston Villa
Chelsea: Cech, Ferreira, Bruma, Terry, Cole, Ramires, Essien, Lampard, Anelka, Drogba, Malouda. Subs: Turnbull, Bosingwa, Kalou, Sturridge, Van Aanholt, McEachran, Mellis.
Aston Villa: Friedel, Cuellar, Collins, Dunne, Clark, Ashley Young, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Downing, Heskey, Agbonlahor. Subs: Marshall, Pires, Albrighton, Delfouneso, Bannan, Lichaj, Herd.
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)

13.00: A conundrum for you, is this a good or a bad time to play Chelsea? In the first three months of the season Chelsea steamrolled everyone in their way.

But since then the champions have been woeful and almost every team that plays them scents a wounded animal.

The win against Bolton was laboured but was the result a fluke or a start of a revival from Carlo Ancelotti's side? Crisis ridden Aston Villa should provide the answer. Team news on the way.

Back on track: Frank Lampard is getting back to his best after returning from injury