Aston Villa face a tough test at Chelsea on Saturday as they continue their surprising push for the Premier League title alongside Arsenal and Manchester City. Arsenal, top at Christmas, host Brighton, while Pep Guardiola’s in-form City travel to Nottingham Forest.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot is dealing with a striking crisis after Alexander Isak fractured his leg, and Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes also faces time on the sidelines. AFP Sport highlights three key talking points ahead of the festive fixtures:

Rogers Leading Villa’s Charge
Unai Emery’s third-placed Villa may still be outsiders for the title, but they sit just three points behind leaders Arsenal. Their 2-1 home win over Manchester United marked their 10th consecutive victory in all competitions, a feat they hadn’t achieved in the top flight since 1914.

A key factor in their surge has been England midfielder Morgan Rogers. After a slow start with zero goal involvements in his first seven games, Rogers has now contributed 11 goals or assists in his past 15 matches. His seven Premier League goals this season have come from just 2.86 expected goals, showcasing his clinical finishing.

Despite their form, analysts at Opta give Villa only a five percent chance of winning the league. Emery’s side can silence the doubters in their upcoming clash at Chelsea, followed by a trip to Arsenal.

Slot Faces Striker Shortage
Liverpool boss Arne Slot had likely planned to rely on Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak as his attacking pillars. Now, neither is available—Salah is with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations, and Isak faces at least two months out after fracturing his leg against Tottenham.

Slot has stabilized Liverpool after a disastrous start that saw six defeats in seven league games. A subsequent run of three wins and two draws has lifted the Reds to fifth, but questions remain about their goalscoring options. Top-scorer Hugo Ekitike, who has eight Premier League goals—twice Salah’s and Cody Gakpo’s tally—will carry added responsibility against bottom club Wolves.

Fernandes Blow for Manchester United
Bruno Fernandes, a vital figure for Manchester United, will miss a spell after pulling up with a hamstring injury during United’s 2-1 loss at Villa Park. Manager Erik ten Hag has already confirmed Fernandes will miss Friday’s clash against Newcastle, urging the squad to “step up” in his absence.

“It’s massive,” defender Diogo Dalot told Sky Sports. “We don’t know how bad it is, but for him to come off, we know how tough he is.” Fernandes has five goals and seven assists in the Premier League this season, while United are also without top-scorer Bryan Mbeumo, who is away at the Africa Cup of Nations with Cameroon.