When it comes to tough FA Cup draws, there’s fewer more difficult than a trip to Villa Park against a side that’s enjoying one of its best campaigns in recent memory.
Fresh off beating Spurs 2-1 in a rare away win, Eddie Howe and the lads face the uphill task of upsetting Unai Emery’s side in their own backyard: a ground where we’ve only won once since 2013.
Our chances of progressing may seem slim, particularly as Howe has been dealt some huge injury blows in recent weeks, but Villa have their own issues heading into this game, with several familiar names set to miss out.
Aston Villa will be without FOUR first-team regulars for tonight’s 5.45pm kick-off.
Matty Cash is the latest injury casualty, leaving Villa without their starting right-back. Though he’s not suffered a serious injury, and could return for their league game against Leeds next weekend, it’s enough to rule him out of this one.
And the Villa midfield remains decimated, with Emery set to be without John McGinn, Youri Tielemans and Boubacar Kamara, who is set to miss the final months of the season.
This leaves Douglas Luiz and Amadou Onana likely to start once again, unless Ross Barkley is handed a rare opportunity, with Lamare Bogarde tipped to start at right-back again, as he did in their 1-0 win over Brighton on Wednesday.
It will be a battle of the makeshift midfields on Saturday evening, as we are without much of our first choice, and best, options too.
Bruno Guimaraes picked up a hamstring injury late in the second half against Spurs, with reports on Friday night indicating that the Brazilian is facing up to 10 weeks out.
Joelinton’s been eyed up for a return very soon, maybe even in the upcoming Champions League play-off against Qarabag in Azerbaijan, but he won’t feature tonight.
Likewise, Lewis Miley’s freak ‘dead leg’ injury has ruled him out for far longer than many of us would have expected, and the youngster is needing even more time to recover back to full fitness: a huge miss in both the midfield and the defence.
And as expected, the trio of Fabian Schar, Emil Krafth and Tino Livramento are certain to miss out, although the latter is on track to return next month after resuming light training recently.
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