Preston, Aston Villa FA Cup starting lineups confirmed: Emery makes Watkins decision
Preston, Aston Villa FA Cup starting lineups confirmed: Emery makes Watkins decision
Preston North End and Aston Villa have announced their starting lineups for Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final at Deepdale.
Unai Emery hinted that he would assess the players returning from international duty and that rotation was an option given the fixtures that Villa have on their schedule.
The most notable decision made by the Spaniard is leaving Ollie Watkins on the substitutes' bench, the forward having been nursing a minor injury during the international break.
Marcus Rashford has instead been chosen down the centre of the attack, Jacob Ramsey returning on the left flank, while Marco Asensio is also handed a start.
John McGinn drops down to the substitutes' bench, with a change at left-back seeing Lucas Digne recalled in place of Ian Maatsen.
Preston North End Manager Paul Heckingbottom during his side's Championship match between against Leeds United, on December 14, 2024
Preston North End Manager Paul Heckingbottom during his side's Championship match between against Leeds United, on December 14, 2024
© Imago
Preston handed Woodman blow
Meanwhile, Preston have been forced into a change between the sticks with goalkeeper David Cornell starting in place of the injured Freddie Woodman.
Robbie Brady, Andrew Hughes and Ben Whiteman have all been brought into the side with Kaine Kesler-Hayden and Ryan Porteous both ineligible and Ryan Ledson serving a suspension.
Despite failing to score against Portsmouth before the international break, Will Keane and Emil Riis have retained the spots in the final third.
Preston North End XI: Cornell; Meghoma, Storey, Hughes, Gibson, Brady; Whiteman, Thordarson, Frokjaer-Jensen; Keane, Riis
Subs: Stowell, Lindsay, Bauer, Pasiek, Tarry, Carroll, Mawene, Evans, Osmajic
Aston Villa XI Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; Tielemans, Kamara; Asensio, Rogers, Ramsey; Rashford
Subs: Olsen, Bogarde, Maatsen, Garcia, Torres, Onana, Malen, Watkins, McGinn