Premier League outfit Aston Villa will go head-to-head with Championship side Preston North End in the FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday at the Deepdale Stadium.
The most recent meeting between the two teams ended in a 1-1 draw, suggesting a competitive match ahead for football fans.
Match Preview
Aston Villa have been enjoying an excellent run of form lately, with the Midlands outfit recording four wins and a draw in their previous five games in all competitions.
Unai Emery’s side cruised to a resounding 3-0 victory over Club Brugge in the Champions League last time out, clinching a quarter-final spot with Paris Saint-Germain.
January signing Marco Asensio was the standout performer for the Lions as he came off the bench in the second-half to bag a brilliant brace in between Ian Maatsen’s 57th-minute strike.
Villa now turn their focus to the FA Cup, a competition they haven’t won since 1957.
They have beaten West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur and Cardiff City along the way and now face Preston in the last-eight.
The Lancashire outfit have had a competitive season so far, and they are now sitting in a mid-table position in the Championship.
They stunned Burnley in the fifth round of the FA Cup to make it thus far, beating their city rivals 3-0 to knock them out of the competition.
Team News
Preston will not be able to call upon the services of Josh Seary, as he has been out with a knee issue since November.
On the other hand, Aston Villa have been missing Ross Barkley since January when he picked up a knock against West Ham United in the FA Cup third-round. But the former Everton star is reportedly nearing a return and could be involved in Sunday’s fixture.
Preston North End vs Aston Villa potential line-ups
Preston North End: Woodman; Kesler-Hayden, Porteous, Lindsay, Gibson, Meghoma; Ledso, Frokjear-Jensen, Thordarson; Keane, Jakobsen
Aston Villa: Martinez; Garcia, Konsa, Bogarde, Maatsen; McGinn, Tielemans; Bailey, Asensio, Rashford, Rogers
How to Watch?
All the FA Cup matches can be watched through live football streams.
Preston North End vs Aston Villa prediction
Given the form and squad quality of Aston Villa, an away victory is the most likely result on Sunday. Preston will enter the fixture on the back of a 2-1 league win over Portsmouth, but they are unlikely to beat a top Premier League team who are also competing in the Champions League this season.
Preston North End 1-3 Aston Villa
