Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa Prediction, Preview, Predicted Lineups and Team News | FA Cup

Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa Preview

Tournament: FA Cup

Date: April 26, 2025
Kick-off Time: 04:15 PM GMT

Venue: Wembley Stadium

Crystal Palace is set to host Aston Villa at the Wembley Stadium on Saturday in the FA Cup semi-final in a bid to secure a spot in the finals of the competition.

The Eagles have 45 points from 34 games, with 12 wins, 12 defeats, and 11 ties, which puts them in 12th position in the league currently. They come into this game after overcoming a deficit to earn a draw from the match against Arsenal. Now that they are comfortably positioned in the middle of the table, Palace can focus on this weekend's exciting FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa. However, they have recently grown to love derby days, as they have won all four of their London games this season. Jean Philippe-Mateta, who scored the equaliser against Arsenal, is the highest scorer for the club with 14 goals in the Premier League. Eze, Nketiah, and Sarr all got their names on the scoreboard as they defeated Fulham 3-0 to advance to the competition's semi-final. The Eagles have won one, lost two, and drawn two of their previous five games.

Villa, meanwhile, has 57 points, 16 wins, 9 losses, and 9 draws, good for seventh position in the EPL. They lost to Manchester City 2-1 in their last game, which saw Matheus Nunes score the game-winning goal in injury time. They came into this game after a 0-3 win against Preston North End courtesy of Marcus Rashford's brace and a goal from Jacob Ramsey.

Let's have a look at the team news for both the sides.

Crystal Palace Team News

Chris Richards will play in this match again after serving a one-match suspension against Arsenal in the Premier League. Given that Jefferson Lerma is a good alternative but may start in midfield in place of Adam Wharton, whom Glasner is still closely monitoring due to fitness concerns, the seasoned Nathaniel Clyne might fill in in the back three. Ben Chilwell remains unfit due to sickness. Glasner has no fresh injuries to consider from the encounter over the weekend, but both Chadi Riad and Cheick Doucoure are out for the season.

Aston Villa Team News

There was only one injury concern for Villa, and he has now fully recovered enough to start in the most recent match against Manchester City. Despite not playing in the previous match, Ross Barkley and Leon Bailey have both recovered from injuries, and Marcus Rashford made a comeback to the starting lineup after returning to Manchester and scoring a goal.

Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa Predicted Lineups

Crystal Palace Predicted Lineup (3-4-3)

Goalkeeper: Henderson

Defenders: Clyne, Lacroix, Guehi

Midfielders: Munoz, Lerma, Hughes, Mitchell

Attackers: Eze, Sarr, Mateta

Aston Villa Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Martinez

Defenders: Cash, Torres, Mings, Maatsen

Midfielders: Kamara, Tielemans

Attackers: Rogers, McGinn, Rashford, Ollie Watkins

Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa Head-to-Head Record

Both teams have faced each other 19 times in the past. Out of this, Crystal Palace has won nine times and Aston Villa has won seven times. There have been three draws during this fixture.

Key Players to Watch in Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa

Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)

Eberechi Eze has exceptional sight and dribbling skills and is a creative force. He is a vital member of Crystal Palace's team because of his ability to penetrate defences with deft runs and accurate passes. He had a significant role in the previous match's draw with Arsenal. In 29 games this season, he has so far scored three goals and provided eight assists.

Marcus Rashford (Aston Villa)

Marcus Rashford is a game-changer who is hoping to continue his form for Aston Villa. His ability to take advantage of defensive lapses and score goals might be crucial in turning the tide of the game in his team's favour. He enters the match having scored a penalty in the loss to Manchester City. For Unai Emery's team, he has so far scored six goals and provided three assists in the Premier League.

Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa Prediction

Although Aston Villa has a little advantage due to their recent success, Crystal Palace's tenacity makes the match close. Anticipate a tight match that can conclude in penalties, with Villa winning the match.

Predicted Score: Crystal Palace 1-1 Aston Villa

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