Under pressure, Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou must get his team performing in the FA Cup as they visit Aston Villa on Sunday.
Unai Emery will once again bank on his side’s home form after yet another tricky away trip last weekend. Aston Villa are unbeaten in ten games at Villa Park across all competitions since their defeat to Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup, with their UEFA Champions League win over Celtic being the most recent encounter played at the venue as they get set to host Tottenham Hotspur this weekend.
It has been a constant theme for Aston Villa this season to underperform after a European game, and that was the case when they visited Wolves last weekend. The West Midlands outfit were two goals to the good to expose the inconsistencies in Emery’s side.
However, the Aston Villa manager will now shift his focus on the FA Cup, where they have one of the tough draws of the round as they take on Tottenham. Aston Villa are here courtesy of a late showing against West Ham United at home, as goals from Amadou Onana and Morgan Rogers helped to seal their passage to the next round.
Meanwhile, Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has come under extreme pressure following a dismal showing in the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-finals against Liverpool. It was an altogether familiar picture, as Spurs failed to hold on to their advantage from the first leg, conceding four goals in an otherwise abject showing at Anfield.
The result extends their overall league form, as many quarters have suggested Tottenham could consider sacking Postecoglou should he fail to progress in the FA Cup. Moreover, Spurs are also lacking in consistency, although the manager would have a lot to say about their injury situation, as those problems keep mounting with every passing game.
Tottenham fans are disgruntled following their midweek loss to Liverpool and are more than worried about their trip to Aston Villa. A team under pressure alongside a manager on a firing line does not make for a successful recipe, as Aston Villa could look to take full advantage of their situation on Sunday.
Team News & Tactics
Aston Villa
Following a frenzied transfer window that saw Aston Villa recruit some key attackers and let go of a big goalscorer, it remains to be seen who Unai Emery picks for this cup clash. Villa do have their own share of injury issues, as last weekend, Emery lost key striker Ollie Watkins to a groin problem.
The extent of the striker’s injury remains unknown, but he is certain to miss the FA Cup clash with Tottenham. The Englishman joins Matty Cash, Ross Barkley, Tyrone Mings, and Pau Torres on the sidelines. Emery cannot call upon new defensive signing Axel Disasi as he is cup-tied for this competition, although fellow January arrival Marcus Rashford is available.
Rashford did not feature against Arsenal for Manchester United in the previous round. Although there are concerns with a starting spot following a lack of football for nearly two months, the winger could start on the left side of the attack.
There are visible problems in defence, meaning Emery could deploy Boubacar Kamara alongside Ezri Konsa in the central defensive partnership, while Lamare Bogarde starts in the right-back slot. Up front, in the absence of Watkins, Donyell Malen could lead the line, with Rashford, Rogers, and Leon Bailey supporting from the other attacking positions.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Bogarde, Konsa, Kamara, Maatsen; Onana, Tielemans; Bailey, Rogers, Rashford; Malen
Tottenham Hotspur
It is challenging to comprehend the idea of getting positive results at the back of the injuries Spurs had to deal with. In the midweek EFL Cup tie, Tottenham lost another key member as Richarlison was taken off in the first half with a calf problem, meaning Ange Postecoglou does not have his two main strikers, the Brazilian and Dominic Solanke.
Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie are all out of the equation, while Radu Dragusin will not play again this season and beyond following an ACL rupture. In the attack, James Maddison, Solanke, Richarlison, Brennan Johnson, Wilson Odobert, and Timo Werner are out of contention. Hence, Postecoglou may once again field a makeshift lineup with the players available to him right now.
Pedro Porro should start this one, and Postecoglou might move Archie Gray to a midfield role, while Kevin Danso could get another start at the heart of the defence alongside Ben Davies. Mikey Moore and Will Lankshear could be options to lead the line, although Spurs might take their bets on new arrival Mathys Tel in that role vacated by Richarlison.
Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski could start on either side of the Frenchman, while Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur might complete the midfield lineup alongside Gray. However, Lucas Bergvall is also an option should Gray start in the central defensive partnership.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Kinsky; Porro, Danso, Gray, Spence; Bergvall, Bissouma, Bentancur; Kulusevski, Tel, Son
Key Stats
- Aston Villa are unbeaten in ten games at Villa Park in all competitions.
- Aston Villa have won six of their last eight games on home soil.
- Tottenham have won nine of their last ten away matches against Aston Villa in all competitions.
- Tottenham have scored at least two goals in nine of their last ten away matches against Aston Villa in all competitions.
- In the Premier League era (since 1992-93), Son Heung-min has been involved in more FA Cup goals than any other Tottenham player (26 – 14 goals, 12 assists). In that time, only Harry Kane and Jermain Defoe (15 each) have scored more in the competition for Spurs than their current captain.
Player to Watch
Marcus Rashford
Having been involved in one of the most high-profile moves of the winter transfer window, fans at Villa Park would be eager to see Rashford wear a different club shirt for the first time in his career. They will be more than keen to see him perform on the pitch and hope he has a terrific debut on home soil.
Unai Emery could use this game as an opportunity to platform Rashford in the side, as the English international is expected to play a key role in the first team for the remainder of the season. He could make an instant impact by taking advantage of Tottenham’s dismal form and getting the ball rolling on his Aston Villa career.
Prediction
Aston Villa 3-1 Tottenham Hotspur
This is probably the story of two teams: one brimming with confidence, with fans eager to see their new attacking additions, and the other hoping for a positive result following yet another disappointing game. Spurs will be aiming to bounce back from the harrowing defeat to Liverpool, but Villa Park might prove a difficult place for that.
Unai Emery will aim to take full advantage of Tottenham’s situation on the pitch, as he has the attackers to expose their weak defensive setup. In the end, Aston Villa are expected to take the win and move into the next round, and a defeat in this one could potentially leave Postecoglou on the brink. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for Emery and his charges.
