Chris SuttonChris Sutton
Chris Sutton | Getty
Preston North End host Unai Emery’s side at 1:30pm
Celtic legend Chris Sutton believes Preston North End will make life difficult for Aston Villa on Sunday, but ultimately come up short.
It’s FA Cup quarter-final action at Deepdale, with a place in the Wembley semi-finals up for grabs. Paul Heckingbottom’s side have knocked out Wycombe, Charlton and Burnley to reach the last eight of the competition for the first time in 59 years.
Now, at home for the fourth time in this season’s FA Cup, they lock horns with one of the Champions League quarter-finalists. Former Norwich City and Blackburn Rovers man, Sutton, sees vulnerability about Villa at the back but has predicted them to run out 2-0 winners this weekend.
Unai EmeryUnai Emery
Unai Emery | Getty Images
Sutton said: ‘Preston are hard to beat at home and have not lost at Deepdale since 2 November, a run of 15 games. I've seen quite a bit of Paul Heckingbottom's team this season and they will defend deep, set up in a 3-5-2 shape and make themselves hard to break down.
‘It's an old football cliche, but in this case it is very true that the first goal will be extremely important. Aston Villa have got some brilliant attacking players, but I also always feel like teams can score against them.
‘If they go behind, they could have problems but I do feel their quality should see them through - depending on Unai Emery's team selection of course, with a big league game coming up at Brighton on Wednesday.’
“It is going to be a cagey game’
‘Villa have got their eyes on numerous prizes and there probably hasn't been excitement levels like this at the club since Martin O'Neill signed me in 2006. I'm still backing them here, but it is going to be a cagey game, and they might have to wait to make the breakthrough before a couple of late goals get the job done.
‘I'm going for Emi Martinez to keep a clean sheet, too. His keepie-uppie antics, to wind up Brazil while playing for Argentina this week, were another reminder of why he is the best goalkeeper in the world. Anyone who can produce moments like that in a game of that magnitude deserves all the accolades you can get.’
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