Five Reasons to be Cheerful as Villans After FA Cup Progress
The FA Cup fifth round and Aston Villa haven’t often gone hand in hand in recent decades. Despite winning the trophy seven times, the club’s recent record in the competition has been poor—at times, even embarrassing. All the more reason to enjoy the recent victory and look ahead to the visit of Cardiff City in the next round. With the transfer window now closed and a Champions League break in play, here are Five Reasons to be Cheerful as Villans…
Sunday Roast
While the 2-1 scoreline against Spurs in the FA Cup suggested a closely contested match, the reality was that Villa’s wasteful finishing once again prevented a more convincing victory. Villa dominated the first half, and despite playing without a recognised striker or centre-back, they continued to create chances in the second half, ultimately securing their place in the fifth round. Even better, Villa were drawn against Cardiff City at home on Monday evening, presenting a real opportunity to reach the quarter-finals.
Debut Dazzlers
The win against Tottenham also gave home fans their first glimpse of new signings Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio. The latter was involved in several moments of slick interplay, effortlessly slicing through the Spurs defence, while Rashford looked hungry and determined to fight for a starting spot in Ollie Watkins’ absence. They arrive at a time when Villa’s attacking options have started to look stale, injecting fresh competition for places, a touch of star power, and—most importantly—versatility that allows Unai Emery to restructure his tactical setup.
Fortress Villa Park
After stuttering in recent league matches against West Ham and Wolves, Aston Villa must take full advantage of their next three Premier League fixtures, all of which will be played at Villa Park. Villa’s only home defeat this season came in their first home game, meaning they are now 11 league matches unbeaten at Villa Park, though five drawshave prevented them from fully capitalising on their strong home form.
With Ipswich up next, this is an opportunity for Villa’s new-look squad to make a statement in February and prove they remain firmly in the fight for a top-five finish. Recent results elsewhere have been favourable, with Newcastle, Chelsea, and Manchester City all dropping points, but Villa have yet to take full advantage.
The hope is that the return to fitness of key players combined with five new January signings will provide the momentum needed to deliver a strong run of results in the coming weeks.
European Break
It would have been easy to forget that a round of Champions League fixtures took place this week, with Aston Villa’s top-eight finish securing them a well-earned and much-needed bye into the last 16. The extra rest could not have come at a better time, as Unai Emery faces both defensive and attacking dilemmas due to a growing injury crisis.
Had Villa been forced to play in this knockout phase, it’s difficult to imagine things going well, given that three of their four central defenders are currently sidelined. The benefits of finishing in the top eight cannot be overstated, both financially and in terms of the potential impact on the remainder of the season.
Listen to the latest MOMS podcast on Spotify
Further Villa Cup Progress
With the men’s team looking strong favourites to secure a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals, Aston Villa Women have already booked their spot in the last eight after a hard-fought 3-2 win over Brighton at home. While their league campaign has been a struggle, the cup run offers a glimmer of hope for success this season.
Villa will now face Manchester City away on 9th March, looking to avenge their recent 2-4 defeat at Villa Park and continue their pursuit of silverware.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa Under-19s booked their place in the UEFA Youth League round of 16 on Wednesday, with a 2-1 win in Hungary over Puskás Akadémia. They will discover their opponents in the last 16, in today’s draw in Nyon, Switzerland (February 14th).
UTV
Follow Armen on Twitter/X here – @VillanArmen
Follow MOMS on Twitter/X & Facebook & Threads & Bluesky
