Aston Villa are off to Wembley...
Aston Villa are off to Wembley...
Aston Villa have progressed to the semi-final of the FA Cup for the first time in a decade after beating Preston North End 3-0 at Deepdale on Sunday.
Villa controlled the first half but were frustrated by their hosts until Marcus Rashford broke the deadlock early in the second half.
After applying the finishing touch to Lucas Digne’s cross, the Manchester United loanee then converted a spot-kick following a foul on Morgan Rogers in the box.
Jacob Ramsey, arguably Villa’s man of the match, added a third goal just 12 minutes after Rashford opened the scoring.
Sunday’s victory at Deepdale was Villa’s biggest FA Cup win since beating Hull City by the same 3-0 scoreline in January 1999.
Here are the talking points from Villa's win at Deepdale...
A huge April awaits for Villa
Villa will play crucial league games against Brighton, Nottingham Forest, and Newcastle in April, while also facing two Champions League quarter-final legs against Paris Saint-Germain.
Add to that a trip to Wembley for an FA Cup semi-final, making Villa’s huge month of April even bigger.
After the win over Preston, Emery suggested that the hectic schedule ahead proves that Villa have increased their capacity to compete for prizes on a regular basis - a demand he made upon taking over in November 2022.
“Firstly I am very proud of how the owners and club is responding because we arrived here and were speaking about how much we wanted to work together, increasing and being more demanding than they were at that moment,” Emery explained after full-time.
“To play in Europe was the first step we did. To play and be a contender this year - and last year as well in the Conference League. We play to be a contender in this competition, playing in a semi-final.
“Hopefully, we can break everything we did last year because we didn’t do more than the semi-final in the Conference League.
“We are increasing our level, our demands. We are joining some players who maybe two, three, four years ago were impossible to be playing with Aston Villa.
“It’s because we are more or less trustful in the project, we can as well add some players because we are involved in the Premier League in the top eight, we are involved in Europe as well playing the Conference League last year and this year the Champions League.
“I think progressively the ambition is shown to us - and the owners as well - on the field. we are very responsible and I am very demanding to myself to be my best.”
Rashford recapturing form at Villa
Since his debut in the FA Cup in March 2016, Rashford has scored five quarter-final goals, one more than any other player in this timeframe, with Sunday’s brace his first in the competition overall since January 2017.
Per 90, the forward has also created more chances, made more touches, registered more assists, taken more shots and played more passes into the box at Villa than he had at Manchester United earlier this season.
Rashford has proven that not only should he have escaped Old Trafford before January, but that Villa has been the perfect move for him. Few dressing rooms and managers - if any - are better suited for the England international.
"He looks confident and happy," said former Villa defender Micah Richards of Rashford on BBC Match of the Day. "It was a big move going to Villa. But when you've got a manager that believes in you, you can do special things.
"His whole body language looks a lot better and his all-round game was brilliant. That is the best way to shut people up. People were asking questions about not fulfilling his potential but that is the way to answer.
"I really like Rashford in these wide areas because he's always looking to run in behind. When I talk about body language and his movement - his all round game today was brilliant."
Aston Villa's Jacob Ramsey (centre) breaks past Preston North End's Jordan Storey
Ramsey hails Villa squad depth
Just days before Rashford signed on loan from United, Ramsey claimed he was feeling back to his best after struggling with injuries throughout last season and into the current campaign.
However, he was quick to highlight the importance of Villa’s strong squad in the coming weeks as they compete on all fronts.
“We are buzzing for the fans and to get the reception we got after the final whistle, it was good to see,” Ramsey said.
“We have got such a strong squad, if you look at the bench today, Ollie Watkins is an England international, John McGinn is the Scottish captain. It’s full of good players and we have a good team spirit.
“We want to do well in the Premier League, in the Champions League and in the FA Cup.
“We have got two big games coming up in the Premier League this week and then another big game against PSG. So we have a busy schedule, but also a big team and will are going to need it.
“We watched their game yesterday and they played really well. It will be my first time playing at Wembley, so I am really looking forward to it.”
Crystal Palace a 'huge challenge
Crystal Palace await Villa in the semi-finals at Wembley after defeating Fulham 3-0 at Craven Cottage on Saturday, while Nottingham Forest take on Manchester City.
The Eagles have won five successive games in all competitions for the first time since April 2014, and they’ve claimed six consecutive away wins in all competitions for the first time ever.
Palace have also won 10 of their last 12 games in all competitions since mid-January, including a 4-1 thrashing of Villa at Selhurst Park.
Emery has lost three of the four games he has managed against Oliver Glasner, who boasts a strong record in cup competitions.
The Villa boss is expecting nothing less than a very difficult challenge at the national stadium in four weeks’ time.
“They are performing very well,” Emery said. “They are really performing fantastic this year and last year.
“We played against them and we know how difficult every match facing them - last year, this year - because they are the same players, more or less.
“It is a really huge challenge to face them in the semi-final and to try to do better than we did against them.”
Claret & Blue verdict
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