Where to Watch Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa
You can catch the highly-anticipated FA Cup semi-final between **Crystal Palace** and **Aston Villa** live on **BBC One** at **5:15 PM** on **Saturday, April 26**. Don’t miss the thrilling action and drama that this match is sure to deliver!
Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa – Predictions & Betting Tips
Our Top Tip: Over 2.5 Goals
Expect a goal-fest as these two teams have shown their attacking prowess. Place your bets at **Evs** (3pts) with bookmakers like **bet365** and **Betfair**.
Latest Odds for Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa
As we gear up for this thrilling encounter, here are the latest odds:
Odds are correct at the time of publishing.
For more expert football betting advice, check out Racing Post Sport’s tips.
Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa – Match Preview
In a dramatic season where **Newcastle** recently broke their trophy drought by defeating **Liverpool** in the EFL Cup final, both **Crystal Palace** and **Aston Villa** are eager to achieve similar success in the FA Cup. This match marks a significant opportunity as fans await potential silverware.
**Aston Villa** last claimed the FA Cup title in **1957** and faced numerous early exits in prior years, but this season has proved fruitful as they contest the semi-finals. Conversely, **Crystal Palace** seeks their first FA Cup victory after unfortunate losses in the finals of **1990** and **2016**. They decisively dispatched **Fulham** 3-0 in the quarter-finals, setting the stage for what promises to be a fierce encounter.
Recent Premier League exploits saw **Palace** draw 2-2 against **Arsenal**, with standout performances from **Eberechi Eze** and **Jean-Philippe Mateta**. This was a welcome boost after a grim two-match slide where they suffered defeats to **Manchester City** and **Newcastle**.
Aston Villa enters this match looking to assert dominance after impressively scoring in all three previous encounters this season against Palace — winning 2-1 in the EFL Cup, drawing 2-2, and hammering them 4-1 at Selhurst Park in February.
With a fit squad, **Manager Unai Emery** has several attacking options at his disposal, including January loan signings **Marcus Rashford**, **Marco Asensio**, and **Donyell Malen**. Meanwhile, the Eagles hope to leverage their depth and current form to challenge Villa’s attacking might.
Key Match Stats
- Over 2.5 goals have occurred in 13 of Villa’s last 15 matches.
- Every EFL Cup tie for Palace this season has featured over 2.5 goals.
- The intensity is expected to mirror the crowd’s passion at Wembley amidst a championship atmosphere.
Team News
Crystal Palace
**Chris Richards** returns from suspension, and **Ben Chilwell** has overcome illness. However, **Chadi Riad** and **Cheick Doucoure** remain sidelined.
Aston Villa
**Unai Emery** has no injury concerns reported, but **Axel Disasi** is ineligible due to his prior participation in the competition with **Chelsea**.
Predicted Line-Ups
Crystal Palace (3-4-2-1)
Goalkeeper: Henderson; Defenders: Richards, Lacroix, Guehi; Midfielders: Munoz, Wharton, Hughes, Mitchell; Forwards: Sarr, Eze; Mateta.
Aston Villa (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Martinez; Defenders: Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Midfielders: Kamara, Tielemans; Forwards: Rogers, McGinn, Rashford; Watkins.
Key Player Stats
| **Player Feature** | **Crystal Palace** | **Aston Villa** |
|———————————|—————————|————————-|
| **Star Man** | Eberechi Eze | Morgan Rogers |
| **Top Goalscorer** | Jean-Philippe Mateta (14) | Ollie Watkins (15) |
| **Most Assists** | Eberechi Eze (8) | Morgan Rogers (8) |
| **Most Shots on Target** | Jean-Philippe Mateta (29) | Ollie Watkins (36) |
| **Most Cards** | Will Hughes (11) | Morgan Rogers (9) |
Bet Builder Predictions
Both Teams to Score: Given that both teams have netted in all prior meetings and five of Villa’s past six games featured both teams scoring, this is a strong bet.
Ismaila Sarr to Have Over 1.5 Shots: Sarr has demonstrated prowess in front of goal, with three goals from eight shots against Villa and three attempts in just 27 minutes on Wednesday against Arsenal.
Maxence Lacroix to Make Over 1.5 Tackles: Lacroix has made significant contributions defensively, with five tackles in November and six in February against Villa.
Payout Odds: This bet builder pays out at 15-4 with **bet365**.
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For More Betting Insights…
- Explore more football predictions from our expert analysts.
- Check out predictions for Chelsea vs Everton.
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