Villa's Zat Knight wary of fired-up visitors Chelsea

Feb 20 2009 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Post

However, the former Fulham centre-half has fond memories of the previous campaign’s home victory over Chelsea, which came just days after he joined Villa and was arrested without charge in connection with drugs offences.

“It was a great day for me,” Knight recalled.

“It was a weird week of ups and downs but to come out and score the first goal and then win 2-0 was a great feeling.

“But we are on to bigger and better things at the moment.”

Knight is relishing the opportunity to test himself against a Chelsea strikeforce which could include Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka.

“There’s been a lot of talk in the press about whether they can play together,” he said. “It’s going to be a really tough game. There aren’t any easy games in the Premier League now but this is as hard as they come.

“This is what you play football for. You want to play against the best players in the world and those two fit in that category.

“Both of them are big, strong and quick, they’ve got everything.”

Meanwhile, Gabriel Agbonlahor, who scored Villa’s second goal in last season’s home victory over Chelsea, believes Martin O’Neill’s men pose an even greater threat.

Agbonlahor is challenging John Carew and Emile Heskey, who is set to be fit after being sidelined with an Achilles problem, for one of two striking berths.

“Our forward options are as good as anything we have had in a long time,” Agbonlahor said.

“The gaffer deserves praise for the players he has brought in, we have players that have been out injured who will be expecting to start so there is competition for places. Hopefully that will keep everyone on their toes.”