Match preview for Preston v Aston Villa
Preston, the only non-Premier League club remaining in this season’s FA Cup, will face Aston Villa at Deepdale in Sunday’s quarter-final showdown.
Paul Heckingbottom’s squad secured their place in the final eight by defeating Burnley 3-0 in the previous round, while Unai Emery’s side progressed by eliminating Cardiff City.
Aston Villa remain in contention for both domestic and European silverware, with Emery’s proven expertise in knockout competitions shining through in both the Champions League and FA Cup.
After overcoming West Ham and Tottenham in the earlier rounds, Villa were largely untroubled in their 3-0 victory over Cardiff City, with Marco Asensio scoring twice in the second half.
The Spanish playmaker’s brace ended a decade-long absence from the FA Cup quarter-finals for Villa, who last reached this stage in the 2014-15 campaign.
That year, they defeated West Brom before falling to Arsenal in the final.
Notably, Villa have won their last four FA Cup quarter-finals, having not been eliminated at this stage since the 1991-92 season.
They also entered the international break on a four-match winning streak across all competitions.
FA Cup quarter-final week is HERE.
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— Preston North End FC (@pnefc) March 24, 2025
Meanwhile, Preston have enjoyed an impressive cup run, playing all their matches at home so far. Victories over Charlton and Wycombe set up a last-16 tie against Burnley, where they claimed a 3-0 win.
While Villa’s wait for a quarter-final appearance was only a decade, Preston have not reached this stage since the 1965-66 season, when they fell to Manchester United.
Additionally, Preston has struggled in recent meetings with Villa, winning just one of their last 15 encounters across all competitions. That said, their most recent three fixtures – all Championship matches in 2018 – ended in draws.
Team news for Preston v Aston Villa
Villa striker Ollie Watkins, who was surprisingly left out of the England squad, sustained a minor knee injury against Club Brugge.
However, he has trained fully and is expected to start. The only confirmed absentee for Villa is Ross Barkley (knee), while Axel Disasi is ineligible due to being cup-tied.
Pau Torres is also working his way back to full fitness after a metatarsal fracture.
Preston face significant squad issues, with up to eight players potentially unavailable. Sam Greenwood and Ryan Ledson are suspended, Ryan Porteous is cup-tied, and Kaine Kesler-Hayden is ineligible against his parent club.
Additionally, Jack Whatmough (calf) is out for the season, while Ali McCann (calf), Brad Potts (hamstring), and Osmajic (hip) are doubtful. Osmajic is also facing disciplinary action following allegations of racist abuse against Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri.
Expected line-ups for Preston v Aston Villa
Preston: Woodman; Storey, Gibson, Lindsay, Bauer, Brady; Whiteman, Frokjaer-Jensen; Thordarson; Keane, Riis
Aston Villa: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen; McGinn, Tielemans; Asensio, Rogers, Rashford; Watkins
Unai provided the following team news update in his press conference ahead of our FA Cup quarter-final tie with Preston on Sunday
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) March 28, 2025
How to watch Preston v Aston Villa: TV channel, online stream
Preston v Aston Villa will kick-off at 13:30pm on Sunday and is available to watch on BBC One. Fans in the UK can also stream the game on BBC Iplayer.
Prediction
While long breaks can disrupt momentum, Villa’s near full-strength squad is expected to comfortably dispatch a Preston team weakened by injuries and suspensions.
Preston’s defensive setup may initially frustrate the visitors, but Villa’s quality should eventually break the deadlock, allowing them to take control and advance to the semi-finals.
Prediction: Preston 0-3 Aston Villa
