Our prediction for this FA Cup match:
Preston
Match Time & Date:
30/03/2025
14:30
Prediction: 1-3
Aston Villa
Preston will look to claim a major scalp when they welcome Aston Villa at Deepdale in the FA Cup quarter-finals. The Lilywhites proved their worth in a 2-1 win over Portsmouth before the international break, but they will have a mountain to climb against Ollie Watkins and Co. There are no fresh injury worries in the home team ahead of Sunday’s clash. The Villans, on the other hand, are on a four-game winning run in all competitions ahead of the trip to Lancashire.
As Unai Emery can count on key players for Sunday’s clash, we predict that the Premier League outfit will advance to the FA Cup semis. Midfielder Ross Barkley is rated doubtful for the visiting team and the former Chelsea man will be assessed ahead of the kick-off. Aforementioned striker Watkins has overcome his minor knee injury. When the two teams met in the EFL Cup back in 2002, Aston Villa crushed Preston 5-0.
Highlighted Player (Leon Bailey):
Leon Bailey is a Phoenix All Stars Academy product who was born in Kingston on August 9, 1997. The Jamaica international played for the likes of FC Liefering and Trencin during his youth career, but he made his senior debut with Belgian side Genk in August, 2015 in a 3-1 win over Saint-Truiden.
The pacey winger quickly established himself as one of the best players in the Belgian top flight, but he scored only 8 goals in 56 appearances for Genk from 2015 to 2017. In the winter of 2017 Leon Bailey signed a deal with Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of €20 million. Bailey is a left-footed footballer, but he is capable of playing on both sides of the field.
The Bayer Leverkusen winger made one appearance for Jamaica U23 team, but he eventually refused to represent the Reggae Boyz at senior level as he has personal problems with the association. It has to be noted that Leon Bailley scored 12 goals in 34 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen in the 2017/2018 Bundesliga season.
Highlighted Team (Preston):
Preston North End or Preston were founded in 1880. The Lilywhites or the Invincibles play their home games at Deepdale, the stadium that was built in 1875 and opened three years later.
In 1889 Preston won their first FA Cup trophy and they did well to beat Huddersfield Town in the final of the 1938 FA Cup final. However, the club’s biggest success came in 1889 and 1890 when they won back-to-back domestic trophies (First Division).
Preston have yet to win the League Cup title, but they were runners-up in 1888, 1922, 1937, 1954, 1964. Preston’s main rivals are Blackpool and the two teams square off against each other in the West Lancashire derby. In their first ever meeting in the West Lancashire derby (1901) Preston recorded a 4-1 win over Blackpool.
Burnley and Blackburn Rovers are considered Preston’s big rivals as well. The colour of Preston’s shirts is white and they wear dark blue shorts.
Fulham 
Crystal Palace
Espanyol 
Atletico Madrid 
Juventus 
Genoa 
Brighton
Nottingham Forest 
Real Madrid 
Leganes 
PSV
Ajax 
