"Throw me a freaking bone" "Won't achieve anything with this guy" - Chelsea fans brand one player as a 'bum' as he's named in starting XI despite poor run of form

Chelsea have released their lineup to face Aston Villa in their Premier League clash on Sunday, but Blues' fans are not pleased about Raheem Sterling's inclusion. The forward has struggled to find a good run of form in recent games, having missed the mark since he last scored in their UEFA Champions League game against Salzburg.

Taking to Twitter to slam his recent performances, the Stamford Bridge faithful did not hold back with their assessment of the former Manchester City man. Here is a selection of tweets from unhappy fans:

The forward has had an average start to life with the Blues this season, marking seven Premier League appearances with three goals and an assist. He will hope to get on the scoresheet against Aston Villa if he is to get back into the fans' good graces.

Chelsea prepare to face Aston Villa amidst injury problems

Chelsea have looked an improved side since the club hierarchy sacked Thomas Tuchel and brought in Graham Potter just seven games into the new season. So far, they have enjoyed an unbeaten start to the former Brighton manager's tenure, and have come into their own over the last five games.

It has understandably been a chaotic run for the Blues, with the sacking of their German tactician stunning European football. However, the team have gone on to impress under their new manager, marking four wins in a row with an impressive 2-0 victory in the Champions League against Milan. They have also been defensively brilliant, keeping three clean sheets in that period and building remarkable form to rise up the table before the World Cup.

The Blues have had difficulties dealing with injuries and fitness levels of their key players. Wesley Fofana is out with a knee injury that will see the center-back ruled out until after the World Cup. N'Golo Kante is also expected to miss the World Cup, having suffered an injury setback that will see him on the sidelines for three months. Reece James recently picked up an injury while facing Milan and facing a race against time to be fit for the World Cup.

However, Chelsea will not relent in their chase for a place in the top-four, even with their compounding injury difficulties. The Blues now sit in fourth place, with just eight games played out of ten, and will need to secure a win against Aston Villa to remain in that position. The Villans are in 16th place and are understandably concerned about how close they've gotten to the relegation zone. They will need to pick up at least a point against Chelsea to rise up the Premier League standings.