Birmingham, England (My Sportsbook) - Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti locked up Alex and Salomon Kalou this week, and hopes to lock up the top spot in the EPL for another week with a win at Aston Villa on Saturday.

Alex and Kalou both signed new deals to remain at Chelsea, which may be unable to sign any new players during the next two transfer windows if a FIFA imposed ban isn't overturned.

But if Chelsea continues its current form, Ancelotti should be just fine if he just keeps the current talent on board.

"They signed new contracts because they are good young players and we want to keep them in our squad. We want to maintain the squad because that will ensure it stays very competitive," Ancelotti said.

"We need these players for the future."

Ancelotti was also working on a new contract with Joe Cole and hopes to secure his services for a few more years as well.

The Blues have won seven of their first eight league matches, the last a solid 2-0 over Liverpool before the international break. With the exception of a 3-1 loss at Wigan, Chelsea has been brilliant this season.

"We won away in Sunderland, we won away in Stoke City, only in Wigan was there a problem," Ancelotti said.

Chelsea welcomes goalie Petr Cech back from suspension at Villa Park, but the club will be without German international midfielder Michael Ballack, the lone injury the Blues endured during World Cup qualifiers.

Chelsea enters the weekend two points ahead of Manchester United.

Aston Villa sits seventh, eight points back, with one less game played. Villa has a pair of losses so far, but beat Liverpool 3-1 earlier this season and is coming off a 1-1 draw against Manchester City.

"While it is important psychologically to do well against the top sides, I'm not so sure it is a pointer to the whole season," Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill said.

"Having said that, we have played two games against teams with genuine aspirations at the top end of the league in Liverpool and Manchester City and those games will give us confidence when we face Chelsea."

O'Neill has been dealing with rumors that Emile Heskey is on his way out, but tried to clear up that by insisting the player was not leaving.

"Emile is very important to us," O'Neill said. "Very important."

Villa welcomes defender Luke Young to the squad for the first time this season following a thigh injury suffered in the preseason and compassionate leave. He came through a midweek reserve game unscathed, and could regain a role soon.

United hosts Bolton with striker Wayne Rooney sidelined with a calf strain. He picked up the injury against Ukraine in World Cup qualifying, and will also be out of the team's Champions League match against CSKA Moscow this week.

Liverpool has even more problems ahead of its visit to Sunderland with captain Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres both ruled out due to injury.

Tottenham striker Peter Crouch returns to Portsmouth for the first time since his summer switch, Birmingham visits Arsenal, Wolverhampton visits Everton and West Ham visits Stoke City to wrap up Saturday's action.

On Sunday, Manchester City visits Wigan and Burnley visits Blackburn. Fulham visits Hull City on Monday to wrap up the week's matches.