We are coming to the business end of the FA Cup this weekend with the Semi-Finals upon us. The first of those is from Selhurst Park where Crystal Palace will host Aston Villa, this fixture is well known to produce goals so fasten your seat belts ready for an entertaining match. The last three fixtures in the Premier League that have been played here have all been won by the homeside 3-1 in 2022, 5-0 in 2024 and 4-1 in 2025. We know this is a cup game and anything can happen but even in this year’s EFL Cup fourth round Crystal Palace won at Villa Park 1-2.
Oliver Glasner’s side are 12th in the league 13 points adrift of their opponents and haven’t been in the best of form of late. They were beaten at Man City having been two goals up (5-2), thrashed away at Newcastle (5-0) and then could only draw at home to out of form Bournemouth (0-0) at the weekend. They have a midweek league trip to the Emirates to face Arsenal before this cup tie and we can’t see them getting anything from that. The possibility of silverware might raise their game on Saturday and with the home support behind them.
The visitors Aston Villa battered Championship side Preston away 0-3 in the previous round. Unai Emery’s team had their three match winning run ended midweek when they conceded a 94th minute goal to Man City losing 2-1 at the Etihad. They had previously beaten Southampton away (0-3), PSG at home (3-2) and Newcastle at home (4-1). The forward options the Midlands side have at their disposal is going to cause the homeside some trouble. They have Marcus Rashford, Ollie Watkins and Marco Asensio so we see if Emery sticks with Rashford who scored midweek.
Villa are 7th in the league and still hopeful of reaching the Champions League again, their last four fixtures are Fulham at home, Bournemouth away, Tottenham at home and Man Utd away in the last match of the season.
The best odds for this fixture can be found at non UK licensed casinos here: Crystal Palace 12/5, Aston Villa 6/5 and the Draw 12/5. Kick off 17.15pm, Saturday Live on BBC 1.
The other last four fixture is from the City Ground where Nottingham Forest will host Man City, there was little to separate the two sides when they met in the league here last month. It wasn’t until the 83rd minute when Callum Hudson-Odoi made the breakthrough. Nuno Santo’s side got back on track winning their last league game away to Tottenham (1-2) after having back to back defeats away to Aston Villa (2-1) and at home to Everton (0-1). The 5th Round and Quarter-Finals of this competition the Midlands side needed penalties to be the method of victory at home to Ipswich and then away at Brighton.
The visitors Man City came from behind to beat Bournemouth away in the Quarter-Finals (1-2) but since that they have remained unbeaten in the league. They had victories at home against Leicester City (2-0), goalless draw away at Man Utd, home win against Crystal Palace (5-2), away win at Everton (0-2) and then this week they scored an injury time winner to beat Aston Villa at home (2-1). Pep Guardiola’s side are back in the race for Champions League football but this competition remains the only chance of silverware this season. We can see this being a cagey cup contest but if an early goal is scored by either team it will open the game up massively.
The best odds for this fixture can be found at EU casinos that accept UK players here: Nottingham Forest 7/2, Man City ⅘ and the Draw 11/4. Kick off 16.30pm Sunday, Live on ITV 1.
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