Aston Villa v Chelsea - Match preview

Gerrard has transformed the outlook of the campaign since replacing Dean Smith as head coach last month, four wins from his first six matches in charge easing fears of a relegation battle and raising hopes of a challenge for European football.

But the boss claims it is the two matches Villa have lost under his tenure – against Manchester City and Liverpool, currently top and second in the table respectively – which have taught him more about his players.

Chelsea, who sit third, will now offer another stern examination and Gerrard explained: “You learn more about your players the better and more challenging the game is.

“We learned a lot about the players against both Liverpool and Man City even though we were on the wrong side of the result, so I’m sure Chelsea will be no different.

“I think it is a really exciting batch of fixtures which is coming our way – Chelsea, Leeds, the chance to go to Brentford and then a couple of Manchester United fixtures on the horizon.

“This is a great place to be in for myself and the team and all the staff. All I hope is we can keep as many bodies fit and available for these games and we can go and do ourselves justice like we have in the previous six.”

Villa’s preparations for this match will, admittedly, be very different to when they faced City and Liverpool earlier in the month. Continued uncertainty around the availability of players saw Gerrard claim to have ‘no idea’ what his team will be and the boss is not expected to finalise a starting XI until just a few hours before kick-off.

Midfielder Morgan Sanson is among the players back in training. So too is long-term injury absentee Bertrand Traore, though the former Chelsea winger – who has not featured since October 3 – was yesterday named in Burkina Faso’s squad for next month’s Africa Cup of Nations so any Villa return is likely to be brief.

Gerrard has studied Villa’s 3-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge in September, when their performance was not reflected in the result.

But he added: “I’m not sure it will have too much of an impact on this one. Chelsea are obviously managing their own situation around their squad.

“Hopefully, come kick-off, we have as many players available to play in this game as we can and we’ll try and prepare the players in the best possible way.

“It’s a game we’re looking forward to – we’re at home. Hopefully it will be a full house and the crowd right behind us.

“From a football point of view it’s a game we’re very much looking forward to but in my shoes it’s very difficult to really have a team in my head or try and work on a team because it can change at any given moment.”