Preston North End vs Aston Villa: Betting Odds, Lineups, Predictions, Preview

Explore our detailed preview for Preston vs Aston Villa in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. Stats, odds, predictions, and lineups for the 13:30 BST match.

Fixture: Preston North End vs Aston Villa
Date: Sunday 30 March 2025
Kick-off: 13:30 BST
Venue: Deepdale

Aston Villa carry greater individual quality and momentum, but this is a tricky away tie against a disciplined and spirited Preston side. If Villa manage the occasion and find rhythm in the second half — where they’ve done most of their scoring — they should have enough to progress. 

Preston’s dream run, however, has been built on resilience, and they'll believe they can force extra time if they remain compact and take chances when they come.

Match Prediction: Preston 1-2 Aston Villa

• BTTS – Yes: 49.99%
• Over 2.5 Goals: 44.5%
• Highest Scoring Half – 2nd: 21/20 (six of Villa’s eight FA Cup goals this season came after the break)
• Morgan Rogers – Anytime Scorer: Leading FA Cup contributor for Villa
  

Preston North End and Aston Villa go head-to-head at Deepdale with a place at Wembley on the line. For Championship side Preston, this marks their best FA Cup run in almost six decades — their last semi-final appearance came in 1964. Meanwhile, Premier League side Aston Villa are seeking a first semi-final since 2015 and have won more FA Cup matches this season than in their previous nine campaigns combined.

Villa arrive with top-flight firepower, and are one of the favourites to lift the FA Cup in May, but this will be their first away fixture in the competition. On home turf, Preston will relish the underdog tag and will look to continue their remarkable run.

• 2–1 vs Portsmouth (H)
• 1–1 vs Sunderland (A)
• 0–1 vs Sheff Utd (A)
• 0–0 vs Swansea (H)
• 3–0 vs Burnley (H) – FA Cup
• 1–2 vs Coventry (A)
  

• 3–0 vs Club Brugge (H) – Champions League
• 1–0 vs Brentford (A)
• 3–1 vs Club Brugge (A) – Champions League
• 2–0 vs Cardiff (H) – FA Cup
• 1–4 vs Crystal Palace (A)
• 2–1 vs Chelsea (H)
  

• 2–1 vs Charlton Athletic (Third Round)
• 0–0 (4–2 pens) vs Wycombe Wanderers (Fourth Round)
• 3–0 vs Burnley (Fifth Round)
  

• 2–1 vs West Ham United (Third Round)
• 2–1 vs Tottenham Hotspur (Fourth Round)
• 2–0 vs Cardiff City (Fifth Round)
  

• Preston wins: 1
• Aston Villa wins: 1
• Draws: 4

Aston Villa are unbeaten in the last five meetings between the clubs, although four of those ended in draws. Their last clash came in the Championship in December 2018, a 1–1 draw at Deepdale.

Preston (3-4-1-2):
Woodman – Lindsay, Hughes, Gibson – Meghoma, Whiteman, Thórdarson, Brady – Frökjaer-Jensen – Riis, Keane

Aston Villa (4-3-3):
Martínez – Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne – McGinn, Kamara, Tielemans – Rogers, Asensio, Rashford

• Doubtful: Brad Potts (hamstring), Jack Whatmough (calf) , Ali McCann (leg), Milutin Osmajic (hip)
• Unavailable: Kaine Kesler-Hayden (loan ineligible), Ryan Porteous (cup-tied)
• Suspended: Sam Greenwood (red card), Ryan Ledson (yellow card accumulation)
  

• Doubtful: Ollie Watkins (knock), Ross Barkley (calf)
• No other reported injuries or suspensions.
  

• Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa):
  Has been directly involved in more FA Cup goals this season (three) than any other Villa player. Creative and clinical from wide areas.
• Mads Frøkjær-Jensen (Preston):
  The Danish midfielder has played a vital role in Preston’s attacking build-up throughout the cup run and is likely to be their key link in transition.
  

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For the best FA Cup outright predictions, explore our Football Outright Betting guide.

Odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.