Villa winger Stewart Downing insists the fight to claim a Champions League spot remains wide open despite the team’s stuttering form in recent weeks.

The England interntional believes the claret and blues can approach tomorrow’s clash at title-chasing Chelsea with confidence, in a dress rehearsal for the FA Cup semi-final meeting between the teams two weeks later.

Martin O’Neill’s side, whose top four challenge has been checked by home draws against Wolves and Sunderland in the last few days, are nevertheless the only team with an unbeaten record in the Premier League in 2010.

But they have drawn seven of their last 10 league games and won only one of their last seven matches at Villa Park since defeating Stoke in mid-December.

Downing is remaining upbeat about Villa’s prospects of finishing in the top four even though a series of injuries to key players such as Gabriel Agbonlahor, Richard Dunne, James Milner and Emile Heskey are emerging at a crucial stage.

The former Middlesbrough star said: “We had a few people suffering with injuries the other night which took its toll in the end.

“We were out on our feet at the end but we’ve got a big game tomorrow so we’ve got to get ready for that and I think the race for fourth spot is still wide open.

“Manchester City lost at home to Everton, who are catching some people up. We’ve still got to play Everton and there are some good games to play. We’ve just got to keep picking up points, starting with Saturday.

“Whoever puts two or three wins together will be in a good position. There will be no slacking from us. There are a few teams up and down at the minute. Manchester City were getting results and now they’ve lost. We were on a great run and we’ve drew a few.

“There are a lot of twists and turns still to go and I think it will go to the wire. We’ve just got to keep calm and playing the way we are because we will create chances.”

But those lapses at home in the past week, when Villa would have backed themselves to at least win one of the games, have thrust more pressure on tomorrow’s clash.

Of his four visits to Chelsea’s stronghold, O’Neill has enjoyed watching a couple of memorable performances from his side in drawing 1-1 and incredibly 4-4, although last year’s 2-0 beating suggested there was a chasm between the teams.

But Villa have stuck to their dogged pursuit of the big guns and Downing believes his colleagues will not be overawed by the trip to Stamford Bridge, despite Chelsea’s formidable home record which has seen them win 13 of 15 league games.

He said: “Stamford Bridge is a hard place to get a win at but we are confident. We beat them at home.

“We have had some good results against the big teams this season. It sounds a bit strange but you get a lot more room when you play the top teams because they will attack you and there is space to breathe.

“In contrast, the teams that have been coming here the last couple of weeks in Wolves and Sunderland have been getting men behind the ball.

“A game like this should lift us. If you are not going to be on song for those games, you are going to get punished because they are a top team.”

Chelsea have been given a much-needed boost by the long-awaited return to contention of midfielder Michael Essien.

But the club’s growing injury crisis, which now counts defender Ricardo Carvalho among its victims, is a worry for boss Carlo Ancelotti and a source of encouragement for Villa.

Carvalho, out for a month with ankle ligament damage, follows the loss of Branislav Ivanovic who is also out for four weeks and means Chelsea will be without five first-choice players when they face Villa.

But they still have Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba, who increased his goal tally for the season to 30 in all competitions with a double in the 5-0 hammering of Portsmouth on Wednesday and expects to recover from the knee injury which forced him off.

He said: “It is maybe the best season I’ve had. But it would be a poor season if I finished top scorer and Chelsea didn’t win anything. Winning individual prizes is just a bonus.”