Villa Park will be buzzing as Aston Villa host Tottenham Hotspur in the Round of 16 of the 2024-2025 FA Cup on Sunday, February 9, 2025. Africa Football editor Allan Damba looks into the upcoming match and provides his thoughts on its potential outcome.
A victory for either team will bring them one step closer to silverware this season, with a quarterfinal spot at stake. Both clubs have rich histories in the FA Cup, with Aston Villa aiming to add to their seven titles, while Tottenham Hotspur seek their eighth.
This is a knockout match, meaning there will be no second leg. If the game is tied after 90 minutes, extra time will be played, and penalties will decide the winner if necessary.
To reach this stage, Aston Villa edged past West Ham 2-1, with Amadou Onana and Morgan Rogers getting on the scoresheet.
Meanwhile, Tottenham cruised past National League side Tamworth with a 3-0 victory, courtesy of an own goal from Nathan Tshikuma and strikes from Dejan Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson.
Aston Villa recent form analysis
Aston Villa have won just one of their last five matches in all competitions, drawing two and losing two. During this period, they scored seven goals and conceded five.
Their most recent game was a 2-0 defeat to Wolves in the Premier League.
Last five games: 1 win, 2 draws, 2 losses
Latest result: Wolves 2-0 Aston Villa
Tottenham recent form analysis
Ange Postecoglou’s side have managed three wins and two losses in their last five games, with no draws. They have scored nine goals and conceded eight.
Their last outing was a heavy 4-0 defeat to Liverpool in the EFL Cup.
Last five games: 3 wins, 2 losses
Latest result: Liverpool 4-0 Tottenham
Head-to-head (last five meetings)
• Tottenham 4-1 Aston Villa
• Aston Villa 0-4 Tottenham
• Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa
• Aston Villa 2-1 Tottenham
• Tottenham 0-2 Aston Villa
The head-to-head record shows an even split, with both teams winning two matches each, while Tottenham hold the biggest recent victory (4-0).
Our prediction for Aston Villa vs Tottenham
Both teams will be eager to bounce back after losing their last match, making this a high-intensity encounter with a quarterfinal spot on the line.
With both sides possessing attacking firepower, we expect a game filled with goals.
• Over 2.5 goals – 1.40 odds on 1xBet (most likely outcome).
• Both teams to score (YES) – 1.44 odds on 1xBet (secure betting option).
Player to watch: Yves Bissouma
Mali international Yves Bissouma will play a key role in midfield for Tottenham, particularly in shielding the defense and breaking up Villa’s attacking play.
So far this season, he has been solid, making 29 appearances across all competitions and contributing two goals. His performance could be crucial in determining the outcome of this match.
Best odds and betting tips
Our top betting tips for this fixture:
• Over 2.5 goals – 1.40 odds on 1xBet
• Both teams to score (YES) – 1.44 odds on 1xBet
