Preston vs Aston Villa predictions: Asensio to be a Villan at Deepdale
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- Preston are aiming to reach the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1964
- Aston Villa last made the last-four stage in 2015
- Recommended bet: Marco Asensio anytime goalscorer
Aston Villa will be hoping to avoid becoming an FA Cup shock when they face Preston at Deepdale in the quarter-finals on Sunday.
The Villans, who are also fighting for Champions League glory this season, last played against North End in the Championship back in December 2018, the contest ending 1-1 that day.
Team news
Preston will be without the suspended pair Sam Greenwood and Ryan Ledson, while Ryan Porteous is cup-tied and Kaine Kesler-Hayden is ineligible to face his parent club.
Jack Whatmough is expected to miss the rest of the season because of a calf injury, while there are doubts over the fitness of Ali McCann, Brad Potts and Milutin Osmajic.
Villa look set to be without Ross Barkley due to a knee problem, but Ollie Watkins has returned to training after suffering a small knock before the international break and is in line to start.
Defender Axel Disasi, on loan from Chelsea, is cup-tied and that means Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings will likely form the centre-back partnership.
The stats
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Championship outfit Preston are the lowest-ranked side left in the competition and the only team in the quarter-finals that do not play in the Premier League.
North End, who are 14th in the Championship table, are unbeaten at home in their last 15 matches in all competitions.
All three of Preston's FA Cup ties this season have come at Deepdale, where they recorded victories over Charlton (2-1), Wycombe (penalties) and Burnley (3-0).
Villa are aiming for a fifth successive win in all competitions, having beaten Cardiff in the FA Cup, Club Brugge in both legs of their Champions League tie and Brentford in the Premier League.
The Villans are aiming to win the FA Cup for the first time since 1957 and the eighth time in total, while Preston are looking to lift the trophy for the first time since 1938.
Prediction
While Preston's run to the quarter-finals has been impressive, their route has been relatively kind after being drawn against Charlton, Wycombe and then Burnley.
A visit of Premier League outfit Villa presents a much sterner challenge and while North End boast an impressive home record, they are likely to come up short in their quest for a semi-final appearance.
Unai Emery's visitors have started to click again over the past month or so, losing just one of their last nine matches in all competitions and securing their place in the Champions League quarter-finals during that period.
A big reason for the upturn in form has been the performances of Marco Asensio, who has scored seven goals in his last five appearances.
The 29-year-old notched a brace against Brugge last time out, just like he did in the FA Cup fifth-round win over Cardiff and he looks like a solid option to get on the scoresheet again.
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