As the team aim to end the calendar year on a high, there are a few milestones waiting to be reached. Club historian Rick Glanvill and club statistician Paul Dutton have the details.

Home clashes with the Midland claret-and-blues in recent times have brought wins, including substantial ones for Chelsea - such as 2010's 7-1 - as well as high-scoring draws marked by last-gasp equalisers.

Form leans more towards the latter this time round: Alec McLeish's boys have delivered six draws in nine on the road, while Chelsea have managed three in succession in the league having won the same number in a row from the end of November.

Yet with such a number of goalscoring opportunities arriving at Chelsea players' feet lately, and Villa failing to score in five of the preceding seven league matches, home supporters will be hoping the damaging trend is bucked.

Fulham's equaliser brought another lost pair of points from a leading position. The Chelsea team's apparent failure to hold on to what we have during games has been cited as a fault, yet in only three league games has that been the case (two ended up draws, one defeat). That is the same record as leaders Manchester City.

Chelsea have also come back from losing scenarios to claim seven points, the fifth ranked side in that respect. Perhaps both factors simply suggest the team's performance level, and therefore control of the outcome, fluctuates substantially within matches.

John Terry captains Chelsea for the 400th occasion on Saturday against Aston Villa. Congratulations to John, he is the most successful skipper in our history, lifting three Premier League trophies, three FA Cups and two League Cups.

Chelsea's next goal will be the 100th for the club during 2011. Here's to an even happier New Year.

- Match preview by chelseafc.com