Agbonlahor in ‘all out’ Aston Villa v Preston verdict after what Emery has done
Aston Villa are preparing for an FA Cup quarter-final clash against Preston North End on Sunday.
The Villans are just one win away from a semi-final clash at Wembley for the first time in 10 years as they look ahead to a clash at Deepdale on 30 March.
The second-tier outfit stands between Villa and a place in the last four as Unai Emery goes in search of his first silverware in charge at B6.
Former Villa star Gabby Agbonlahor has now revealed how he thinks his old side will line up after what they’ve already done in the FA Cup this season.
Agbonlahor backs Emery to go ‘all out’ v Preston
There won’t be a better opportunity for the claret and blue army to earn a place at Wembley than against Championship opposition.
Paul Heckingbottom’s side sits 14th in the second tier and should represent a straightforward fixture for the Villans.
With that being said, the magic of the FA Cup could go against the Villans and as a result, Emery has to be wary of the side he puts out.
Dropping the likes of Marcus Rashford or Morgan Rogers could prove to be an error, but Agbonlahor believes the Spaniard will put out his best side.
Speaking live on talkSPORT (27 March, 6:10am), he said: “I’m not worried because this manager has understood how much it means to the fans, the FA Cup. He’s played his strongest team since Villa entered the competition.
“I think he’s going to go all out, and even though we’ve got Brighton away on Wednesday, I think he’s going to put out his best team. If you try and drop a few players and rest a few, Preston will roll them over.”
Aston Villa must win v Preston North End
There will be no excuse if Villa do not earn a place in the FA Cup semi-final this season.
Given that the likes of Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and Brighton remain in the competition, the Villans have been handed the best draw.
| Date | FA Cup quarter final fixtures |
| 29/03/25 | Fulham v Crystal Palace |
| 29/03/25 | Brighton v Nottingham Forest |
| 30/03/25 | Bournemouth v Manchester City |
| 30/03/25 | Preston North End v Aston Villa |
Even with that being the case, starting the best possible side to help make sure of a place in the final four can only be seen as a good thing.
Returning international stars like Emi Martinez need to come in and hit the ground running with a game at Wembley on the horizon.
Emery won’t let his players get too far ahead of themselves and any complacency needs to be cut out to get the best possible result at Deepdale.