A spot in the FA Cup semi-finals will be up for grabs when Preston North End and Aston Villa face off in the semi-final at the Deepdale Stadium on Sunday.
The quarter-finals of the 2024/25 FA Cup will culminate on Sunday, which will bring us two fixtures. The action on the day will start with Preston North End vs Aston Villa at the Deepdale Stadium.
Preston North End qualified for the FA Cup quarter-finals by cruising to a 3-0 win over Burnley in the fifth round. The Lilywhites had clinched narrow victories over Charlton Athletic and Wycombe Wanderers in the previous stages. However, Paul Heckinbottom’s men have blown hot and cold in the last few weeks, as they have managed only two wins in their eight most recent matches.
On the other hand, Aston Villa reached the FA Cup quarter-finals by beating Cardiff City 2-0 in the fifth round. The West Midlands club had clinched 2-1 victories over West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur in the previous stages. Meanwhile, Unai Emery’s men have improved in recent weeks, and they stitched a four-match winning run before the international break.
The most recent clash between Preston North End and Aston Villa ended in a 1-1 draw at Deepdale in December 2018. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Preston North End
Paul Heckingbottom has new roster issues hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Preston North End manager might be bereft of the services of as many as seven first-team players vs Aston Villa on Sunday.
Sam Greenwood and Ryan Ledson are the latest absentees, with the duo serving suspensions. While the former saw red against Portsmouth, Ledson picked up his second FA Cup booking against Burnley. Ryan Porteous is cup-tied, while Kaine Kesler-Hayden cannot face his parent club. Meanwhile, Jack Whatmough (calf), Ali McCann (calf), and Brad Potts (hamstring) are on the sidelines.
Freddie Woodman should take his spot between the sticks, with Preston North End lining up in a 3-4-1-2 formation in front of him vs Aston Villa on Sunday. The central defensive unit will likely feature Lewis Gibson, Liam Lindsay, and Patrick Bauer. Jordan Storey and Robbie Brady will be the two wing-backs, although the duo will primarily reprise defensive roles.
As for the midfield unit, Mads Frokjaer-Jensen and captain Ben Whiteman will pair up in the double pivot, with the duo aiming to keep things tight in the middle of the park. Finally, Stefan Teitur Thordarson will reprise the No. 10 role, with Will Keane and Milutin Osmajic being the two strikers.
Probable Lineup (3-4-1-2): Woodman; Gibson, Lindsay, Bauer; Storey, Whiteman, Frokjaer-Jensen, Brady; Thordarson; Keane, Osmajic
Aston Villa
Like his counterpart in the Preston North End dugout, Unai Emery has a new concern to worry about ahead of the trip to Deepdale. The Aston Villa manager might be without three first-team players on Sunday.
Axel Disasi is the latest absentee, as he is ineligible to play in the FA Cup. In addition, Ross Barkley remains in the treatment room due to a knee injury. While Emery has been sweating over Ollie Watkins’s fitness, the English international should be fit and available to take on Preston North End.
Emiliano Martinez is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Aston Villa lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Preston North End on Sunday. The backline should feature Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, and Ian Maatsen.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past John McGinn and Youri Tielemans in the double pivot. Morgan Rogers will likely reprise the no. 10 role, with Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio being the two wide attackers. Finally, Watkins should lead the line for Aston Villa against Preston North End on Sunday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen; McGinn, Tielemans; Asensio, Rogers, Rashford; Watkins
Key Stats
Preston North End and Aston Villa have progressed from three of their six previous FA Cup meetings. Sunday’s clash will be the first FA Cup tie between the two sides since a 1-0 win for Aston Villa in January 1967. The Lilywhites have won only one of their last 15 games vs Aston Villa in all competitions (D9 L5). The three most recent matches have finished in a draw, most recently a 1-1 at Deepdale in December 2018.
Sunday’s clash will be Preston North End’s first FA Cup quarter-final since 1965/66, eventually losing to Manchester United. They most recently reached the semi-final of the competition in the 1963/64 season, ultimately losing the final to West Ham United that term.
Aston Villa have won their last four FA Cup quarter-final matches, with Sunday’s tie their first since a 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion in 2014/15.
Preston North End have lost 18 of their last 19 FA Cup games against top-flight opponents, with the only exception during this run a 4-1 win at Derby County in the fourth round in 2007/08.
Aston Villa have won only one of their last eight away games in the FA Cup (D2 L5), beating Middlesbrough 1-0 in last season’s third round.
Player to Watch
Marco Asensio
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While Will Keane and Marcus Rashford were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Marco Asensio as the Player to Watch for Sunday’s FA Cup tie between Preston North End and Aston Villa at Deepdale after his exceptional start to life as an Aston Villa player.
In addition, the Spanish international has been involved in nine goals (G6 A3) in his last seven starts in his league’s primary cup competition (Copa del Rey, Coupe de France and FA Cup). He scored both of Aston Villa’s strikes in the 2-0 win over Cardiff City in the fifth round. Expect the former Real Madrid attacker to rise to the occasion again this weekend.
Prediction
Preston North End 1-2 Aston Villa
While Preston North End might have blown hot and cold in recent weeks, and Aston Villa might have been on a winning run before the international break, Sunday’s FA Cup tie is not a foregone conclusion. The reason why we expect a closely contested affair is Preston North End’s excellent form at Deepdale.
The Lilywhites are unbeaten in their last 15 games across all competitions at Deepdale (W6 D9). In addition, they have not conceded more than one goal in any match during this run (nine conceded overall).
However, Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford’s blossoming partnership will be the home side’s undoing, even though they will give the Villans a run for their money. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Unai Emery and his charges.