Deepdale Stadium will be bouncing on Sunday, March 29th, 2025, as Championship side Preston North End play host to Premier League outfit Aston Villa in the quarterfinals of the English FA Cup. Africa Football editor Allan Damba looks into the upcoming clash and provides his prediction.
Match Overview
This one-legged tie will be decided by extra-time or penalties, should it end in a draw after normal time. With the trophy being the most likely chance for glory this season, both teams will go all out to secure victory.
To reach the quarterfinals, Preston North End comfortably beat Burnley 3-0, thanks to goals from Robbie Brady, Will Keane, and Milutin Osmajić. On the other hand, a Marco Asensio brace was enough for Aston Villa to sink Cardiff City and sail into the last eight.
Heading into the international break, Preston North End edged Portsmouth 2-1 in the Championship, while Aston Villa were comfortable 3-0 victors over Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League.
Preston North End Recent Form Analysis
Preston North End haven’t had it all rosy in their previous five matches across all competitions, winning two, drawing two, and losing one. In that time, they’ve scored six goals and conceded three.
- Last Five Games: 2 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss
- Latest Results: Preston North End 2-1 Portsmouth
Aston Villa Recent Form Analysis
It has been a solid run of results for Aston Villa in the last five games across all competitions, with four wins and one defeat. They’ve found the back of the net ten times while conceding five.
- Last Five Games: 4 wins, 1 loss
- Latest Results: Aston Villa 3-0 Club Brugge
Head-to-Head (Last Five Games)
- Preston North End 1-1 Aston Villa
- Aston Villa 3-3 Preston North End
- Aston Villa 1-1 Preston North End
- Preston North End 0-2 Aston Villa
- Aston Villa 2-2 Preston North End
These two sides have produced closely contested fixtures in recent years, with plenty of goals and few clear winners.
Our Prediction for Preston North End vs Aston Villa
Aston Villa boast superior player quality and are in better form heading into this quarterfinal bout against the lower-ranked Preston North End. We tip an Away Win (2) with odds of 1.47 on 1xBet. Punters can also stake on Over 2.5 goals, with odds of 1.76 on 1xBet.
Player to Watch
Boubacar Kamara – The French midfielder of Senegalese descent has continued to shine under Unai Emery at Aston Villa. With 29 matches under his belt this season, he’s enjoying one of his most consistent campaigns. Kamara will be heavily relied upon to control the midfield against Preston on Sunday.
Best Odds and Betting Tips
We’ve identified the following as the best tips for this match:
- Away Win (2) – 1.47 on 1xBet
- Over 2.5 Goals – 1.76 on 1xBet
