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Aston Villa are one win away from playing at Wembley Stadium
Aston Villa are aiming to take another step towards their first piece of domestic silverware since 1996 in this weekend’s FA Cup quarter-final clash with Preston North End.
Unai Emery’s side are just one win away from securing a trip to Wembley Stadium after defeating the likes of West Ham, Tottenham Hotspur and Cardiff City in the earlier rounds. Villa are through to the last eight for the first time in 10 years when Tim Sherwood led a relegation-threatened side to the final against the odds before falling short in a 4-0 defeat to Arsenal.
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However, the Lions have a much stronger team at their disposal than they did a decade ago in 2015 are hot favourites to progress to the semi-final as they aim to win the FA Cup for the seventh time in their history and for the first time since triumphing against Manchester United in 1957.
The West Midlands outfit are the hot favourites to progress to the next round but are nursing a few injury issues heading into the game against Paul Heckingbottom’s side as they also aim to try and keep their squad as fresh as possible for a Champions League quarter-final in early April and the final push for European qualification in a gruelling Premier League campaign. Ahead of an highly anticipated quarter-final showdown, we take a look at the latest injury news from both camps.
Preston North End injury news
Kaine Kesler-Hayden - Parent club: The 2021 FA Youth Cup winner has been a near ever present for Paul Heckinbottom’s team since joining the club from Aston Villa on loan, but is now ineligible to face his parent club.
Ryan Porteous - Cup tied: The 25-year-old misses out after representing former club Watford earlier in the competition.
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Sam Greenwood - Suspended: The Sunderland-born playmaker misses out through suspension in a big blow.
Ryan Ledson - Suspended: The Everton academy graduate also misses the quarter-final clash through suspension in another midfield blow.
Brad Potts - doubt: The 30-year-old is a doubt heading into the match after missing the 2-1 victory against Portsmouth through injury before the international break.
Ali McCann - doubt: The Northern Ireland international is currently nursing a calf problem, according to Lancashire Post.
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Aston Villa injury news
Ollie Watkins - doubt: Top scorer Ollie Watkins missed the international break with a knee injury and is a slight doubt for FA Cup weekend. 'He told us to change him because he wasn't feeling good. I don’t exactly know his injury, but I think it is small,” explained Unai Emery earlier this month. It remains to be seen whether Villa will rest the England international with the Champions League in mind or bring him into the starting XI to prioritise the pursuit of silverware.
Ross Barkley - doubt: Summer signing Ross Barkley has been on the sidelines for most of the month with a knee injury but could return this weekend as he aims to win the FA Cup for the second time in his career.
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