Chelsea striker Fernando Torres bids to end his 17-game goal drought against champions Manchester United on Sunday while Aston Villa travel to face a Newcastle United side that can recall in-form striker Demba Ba after he returned from the Africa Cup of Nations.
Torres’ troubles date back three and a half months, with his last Premier League strike coming against Swansea in September, and the Spaniard was subsequently sent off in that match (Torres 11/2 First Goalscorer).
That red card came at a bad time for the 27-year-old striker who had scored in Chelsea’s 3-1 defeat at Old Trafford the previous weekend, although the overriding memory from that match will be his shocking open-goal miss after rounding stricken United keeper David de Gea (80/1 Torres and Chelsea win 3-1 in Scorecast).
He is another Spaniard under pressure after another meek display against Liverpool in the FA Cup last week, but Sir Alex Ferguson is expected to recall the ex-Atletico Madrid starlet because recent first-choice Anders Lindegaard is out.
Torres does possess a good record against United, having bagged four times in seven previous Premier League games against Sir Alex Ferguson’s men .
And United’s recent record at Stamford Bridge is poor, losing six and drawing only three of their last nine visits while only managing four goals in their last ten visits in all competitions (9/2 Chelsea -1 in Handicap).
Chelsea are without Ashley Cole after the left-back was sent off for two bookable offences in the Londoners’ 1-1 draw at Swansea in midweek.
Ryan Bertrand is expected to come in for the England defender and mark in-form United winger Antonio Valencia, who has either scored or assisted each of the Red Devils last three open play goals, while he also won their second penalty at Old Trafford in midweek.
Wayne Rooney could return after a two-game absence and he has scored four goals in his last seven Premier League appearances against Chelsea and also netted on his last two visits to Stamford bridge, one in the league and one in the Champions League (Rooney 11/8 Anytime Goalscorer).
The return of Demba Ba (6/1 2 or More goals) will no doubt boost Newcastle United ahead of the lunchtime clash with Aston Villa at the Sports Direct Arena, but they will again be without suspended midfielder Yohan Cabaye.
Cabaye’s absence, and that of Cheik Tiote, was certainly felt against Blackburn in midweek when the Magpies were badly outgunned in the centre of the park and needed a half-time reshuffle to deny Rovers a deserved point.
Newcastle have lost just two of their last 15 Premier League home matches, winning eight and drawing five but Villa’s away form has been good this season.
Villa have lost just two of their last 12 Premier League away games and none of the last five, a period in which they have won three and drawn two on their travels.
During that spell they have twice come from behind to win, against Chelsea and Wolves (16/1 Aston Villa Win from Behind), and twice kept a clean sheet (3/1 Villa to keep a Clean Sheet).
Boss Alex McLeish will be keen to end a dismal record against Newcastle as a Premier League manager – having won none and lost three of his five matches in charge of Birmingham and Villa.
His ace in the pack is striker Darren Bent who has scored in four of his last five Premier League appearances and now has 100 Premier League goals.
Villa’s weakness from set pieces could be exploited by Newcastle, who are dangerous in the air at corners with Mike Williamson (14/1 to Score Anytime), Fabricio Coloccini (10/1) and Shola Ameobi (7/4).
Aston Villa have conceded more goals from corners than any other team in the top-flight this season (10) while they are the only team in the Premier League yet to score from a corner.
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