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By ROBERT SUMMERSCALES and TOM COLLOMOSSE AT DEEPDALE STADIUM Published: 22: 09 AEDT, 30 March 2025 | Updated: 23: 59 AEDT, 30 March 2025 4 View comments Follow Mail Sport's live blog for the latest score, team news and updates as Preston North End meet Aston Villa in the quarter-final of the FA Cup at Deepdale Stadium. The first yellow card of the game goes to Will Keane following a cynical ankle clip to halt a counter-attack led by Youri Tielemans. That foul leaves Villa with a free-kick more than 30 yards from goal. Rashford still decides to shoot though, but his effort hits a team-mate and deflects behind for a goal kick. Reacting to their team starting to click into gear, Villa's fans are now making the majority of the noise at Deepdale. Meanwhile, Jacob Ramsey is looking like the best player on the pitch right now. Villa are starting to turn the screw and take charge of this game. Lucas Digne just fired a free-kick a yard over the crossbar. When many of this crowd close their eyes and try to sleep tonight, they’ll have the sound of popping balloons filling their ears. The players seem to have spent as much time destroying blue and white balloons as they have playing football. As a colleague remarked just now, whose idea was it to use balloons on a windy day? Villa go close to opening the scoring. Preston clear the initial danger from a corner kick but the ball is returned to Marco Asensio. He curls in a deep cross to Ezri Konsa who glances a header just wide from close range. A first save of the night for Preston keeper Cornell as he holds onto a Marcus Rashford free-kick. That moment could be a valuable settler for Cornell, who only found out on Wednesday that he would be playing today. Preston have started on the front foot here. They are currently winning the volume battle in the stands too. You sense that the first goal is going to be huge. Preston have actually just had the ball in the Villa net but the whistle had been blown may before it crossed the line. Will Keane was adjudged to have impeded Emi Martinez in his attempts to roll out the ball before Lewis Gibson lobbed a shot into the empty net. An early penalty shout for Preston as Will Keane falls over close to Youri Tielemans. Referee Chris Kavanagh says no. There is VAR today, which is a bit of a novelty for Preston. But the VAR is very quick to confirm the on-field decision. Indeed, replays suggested that Keane threw himself down. Preston get the game underway and immediately play the ball back to stand-in keeper David Cornell to give him an early touch. The half Preston are defending is full of balloons. Both sets of players are out on the pitch and it is LOUD at Deepdale. Kick-off is just moments away. FA Cup fever is alive and well in Preston. As I try not to be submerged by the Preston tifo working its way along the Tom Finney Stand, worth noting that Stuart Mc Call, a key member of Paul Heckingbottom’s coaching team, scored twice for Everton in the 1989 FA Cup Final at Wembley, albeit in a losing cause against Liverpool. How today’s North End side would love to follow that. This famous old stadium is filling up nicely as we approach kick-off. We are expecting an attendance close to the maximum capacity of 23, 408, with Villa having sold out their away allocation of 5, 637. I saw lots of Villa fans heading up the M6 on my way here today. This is such a great chance for Villa to lift a first major trophy since 1996, and the FA Cup for the first time since 1957. Manchester City are the favourites, of course, but they’re not the City of two years ago, or even 12 months ago. Unai Emery knows this and it’s reflected in his team selection. As if this task weren’t hard enough for Preston, their first-choice goalkeeper Freddie Woodman joins a long list of absentees, meaning only a third appearance of the season for his deputy Dai Cornell. If there’s something they can cling to, it’s that Villa players have been busy during the break, with lots of airmiles clocked up. Preston will hope that can make a difference if they are able to stay in the tie for long enough. Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom speaking to the BBC: We have had a good few days with it being a Sunday game as well. We got the players back a day early from international duty and Aston Villa will probably be the same - we've had the least disruptive preparation we can have after an international break. It is a welcome distraction from the league so we just need to enjoy the game, enjoy the occasion and there is a big prize at the end of it. On Freddie Woodman's injury: On how ready his side are for today and how they can get at Villa: Aston Villa manager Unai Emery speaking to the BBC: After about 87 years without a game, Aston Villa return with a front four of – in no particular order – Rogers, Asensio, Ramsey, Rashford. That to me looks like Rogers right, Ramsey left, with Asensio just off central striker Rashford. Still no place for Donyell Malen, while you’d expect Ollie Watkins to return for the huge Premier League game at Brighton on Wednesday. Brad Potts, Ali Mc Cann and Jack Whatmough all miss out for Preston due to their injury issues, as does first-choice keeper Freddie Woodman. But Jordan Storey starts, while Milutin Osmajic is on the bench. Preston XI: Cornell; Storey, Gibson, Hughes, Brady, Whiteman, Thordarson, Meghoma, Frokjaer, Keane, Riis. Subs: Stowell; Lindsay, Bauer, Pasiek, Tarry, Carroll, T. Mawene, Evans, Osmajic. Ollie Watkins will start today's game as a substitute. In his absence, Marcus Rashford will lead the Villa attack. Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, Tielemans, Kamara, Asensio, Rogers, Ramsey, Rashford. Subs: Olsen, Bogarde, Maatsen, Garcia, Torres, Onana, Mc Ginn, Malen, Watkins. These two historic clubs have met 116 times previously, with their first game against each other coming way back in 1888. That was an FA Cup match and Preston won it 3-1 in Birmingham. But Villa have the superior head-to-head record overall, having beaten Preston 57 times. Preston have recorded 38 wins over Villa in total, while there have been 21 draws. Their six most recent meetings all came in the Championship between 2016 and 2018, while the last three were all draws (1-1, 3-3 and 1-1). The visitors have arrived at Deepdale. Among the players doing a pre-match pitch inspection was Ollie Watkins. Seemingly good news for Villa fans! Both sides began their FA Cup journey in the third round in January. Villa have knocked out two Premier League teams by beating West Ham 2-1 and Tottenham by the same score. Emery's men then overcame Cardiff 2-0 in round five. But all of Villa's FA Cup games this season prior to today have been at home. How will they fare on their first road trip? Meanwhile, Preston have also had nothing but home games in the FA Cup this term. They have so far overcome Charlton (2-1), Wycombe (on penalties after a 0-0 draw) and Burnley (3-0). By Robert Summerscales We'll have the confirmed line-ups shortly, but both sides are dealing with fitness concerns ahead of kick-off. Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom has a number of selection headaches, with Brad Potts, Ali Mc Cann and Jack Whatmough all doubts. Striker Milutin Osmajic could be involved despite a recent hip issue and off-field controversy, having been charged by the FA. Jordan Storey is expected to be available after a short spell on the sidelines. Unai Emery's Villa side are in a far healthier position squad-wise. The main worry is Ollie Watkins, who picked up a knee knock during the international break. If Watkins does miss out then Marcus Rashford could be an option to lead the line in a central position. By Robert Summerscales Good afternoon and welcome to Mail Sport's live coverage of this weekend's third FA Cup quarter-final of four. Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest have already booked their spots at Wembley but who will join them? Will it be seven-time FA Cup winners Aston Villa? Or EFL Championship side Preston North End? Preston are themselves two-time winners of this competition, although both their triumphs came long, long ago - in 1889 and 1937. If my memory serves me right Heckingbottom been co. ..

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