Preston North End will fly the flag for the EFL when they host Champions League hopefuls Aston Villa in the FA Cup quarter-final.
The Championship outfit are the only non-Premier League club still in the competition and find themselves one win away from Wembley.
Paul Heckingbottom‘s men will look to ensure a second-division side reaches the semi-finals for two successive seasons following Coventry‘s heroics last campaign.
PNE put three past Burnley without reply to book a date with Villa, who beat Championship opposition in Cardiff during the last round.
Unai Emery‘s side can still secure a historic domestic and European cup double having reached the last-eight of both competitions.
Villa are seven-time FA Cup winners, the joint-sixth highest tally of any club, but they haven’t claimed a major honour since 1996.
Worryingly, Villa have won just one of their last eight away FA Cup games, beating Middlesbrough 1-0 in last season’s third round.
Preston are also unbeaten in their last 15 games across all competitions at Deepdale and have only conceded nine goals overall.
Preston vs Aston Villa: Top Marcs
Serial winner Marco Asensio is expected to start having returned to Bodymoor Heath after international duty with Spain.
The Paris Saint-Germain loanee has been involved in nine goals (6 goals, 3 assists) across his last seven starts in his league’s primary cup competition (Spanish Copa del Rey, Coupe de France and the FA Cup).
The ex-Real Madrid star scored both of Villa’s goals in their 2-0 win over Cardiff last round and will likely be the difference-maker again.
- Both Preston North End and Aston Villa have progressed from three of the six previous FA Cup ties between the sides, with this the first meeting since a 1-0 win for Aston Villa in January 1967.
- Preston have won just one of their last 15 meetings with Aston Villa in all competitions (D9 L5). Each of the last three have finished in a draw, most recently a 1-1 at Deepdale in December 2018.
Preston vs Aston Villa: Team news
The home side are without both Sam Greenwood and Ryan Ledson due to suspension, with Ryan Porteous cup-tied.
Villa loanee Kaine Kesler-Hayden is unavailable to face his parent club, with Jack Whatmough, Ali McCann, and Brad Potts also injured.
The visitors are yet to shed any light on the fitness of Ollie Watkins, who was a notable omission from Thomas Tuchel‘s England squad.
Watkins sustained a knee injury in the second leg of the Champions League win over Club Brugge, with Emery labelling it ‘small’ after.
Ross Barkley is expected to be sidelined, while Villa’s only other major absentee is Chelsea loanee Axel Disasi, who is cup-tied.
- This is Preston’s first FA Cup quarter-final match since 1965-66, eventually losing to Manchester United. They last reached the semi-final of the competition in 1963-64, ultimately losing the final to West Ham United that year.
- Aston Villa have won each of their last four FA Cup quarter-final matches, with this their first since a 2-0 win against West Bromwich Albion in 2014-15.
Preston vs Aston Villa: What has been said?
Preston manager Heckingbottom is relishing the chance to cause a major FA Cup upset this weekend.
“Everyone is really on board with this. We had Fulham in the League Cup and Arsenal, and now we’re welcoming Aston Villa,” Heckingbottom told talkSPORT. “These cup games are for us to enjoy.
“Obviously, we have to go all out to try and win the game. They’re here for us to relish amid the slog of the Championship season.
“Our recent history hasn’t been at the top end of English football, but in the past, the club very much was.
“We are one game away from Wembley. If we win away against Derby on Wednesday night, we get three points, but if we manage to overturn Villa, it’s a totally different story.
“A trip to Wembley and an FA Cup semi-final doesn’t come around often. This week has taken care of itself — everyone is looking forward to it and excited for it.”
- Preston have lost 18 of their last 19 FA Cup games against top-flight opponents, with the only exception in this run a 4-1 win at Derby County in the fourth round in 2007-08.
- Aston Villa have won just one of their last eight away games in the FA Cup (D2 L5), beating Middlesbrough 1-0 in last season’s third round.
- Preston are unbeaten in their last 15 games across all competitions at Deepdale (W6 D9), and haven’t conceded more than one goal in any match during this run (nine conceded overall).
Preston vs Aston Villa: talkSPORT coverage
This FA Cup quarter-final clash will take place on Sunday, March 30.
Kick-off at Deepdale is set for 1:30pm.
talkSPORT will have live coverage from Lancashire, presented by Adrian Durham.
Commentary comes from Ian Danter and former England Women’s striker Tash Dowie.
To tune in to talkSPORT through the website, click HERE for the live stream.
Listen via the talkSPORT app here, or on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.
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It will also be screened live on free-to-air BBC One.
