The lowest-ranked team left in this season's FA Cup - and the only non-Premier League side left fighting for Wembley stardom - Preston North End host Aston Villa at Deepdale in Sunday's quarter-final battle.
Paul Heckingbottom's men put three past Burnley without reply in the last 16 to earn a date with Unai Emery's men, who conquered Championship opposition in Cardiff City in the last round.
Match preview
An astounding domestic and European cup double is still on the cards for Aston Villa heading into the business end of the season, as serial Europa League winner Emery flaunts his knockout prowess in both the Champions League and FA Cup.
Having already seen off West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur on home soil in the earlier rounds of the latter tournament, the Villans were not expected to run into too many roadblocks against Cardiff City in the last 16, and a second-half double from Marco Asensio was enough to carry them into the final eight.
The Paris Saint-Germain loanee's brace ended Villa's 10-year exile from the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, having not advanced this far since the 2014-15 campaign, where they saw off West Bromwich Albion before being pummelled by record holders Arsenal in the final.
However, that previous success over the Baggies marked Villa's fourth consecutive victory in FA Cup quarter-finals - they have not fallen at this hurdle since the 1991-92 campaign - and Emery's men appropriately went into the international break on a four-game winning run in all competitions.
A narrow 1-0 Premier League success over Brentford was sandwiched in between a pair of Champions League last-16 victories over Club Brugge, earning Emery a reunion with former club Paris Saint-Germain in next month's quarter-finals, but Preston takes priority over PSG for the time being.
As Villa prepare to hit the road for the first time in this season's FA Cup, Preston gear up for a fourth successive home match in the 2024-25 competition, where they edged out Charlton Athletic and Wycombe Wanderers before an all-Championship clash with Burnley.
Scott Parker's Clarets have prided themselves on an extraordinary defensive record in the Championship this season, but Preston made the most of Parker rotating his resources to pull off an exceptional 3-0 last-16 win thanks to goals from Robbie Brady, Milutin Osmajic and Will Keane.
While Villa only had to wait 10 years for another FA Cup quarter-final, Preston have not played in the last eight since England's World Cup-winning year, competing against Manchester United in the 1965-66 quarter-finals and suffering defeat to the Red Devils.
The side led by Heckingbottom also went into the international break with the wind in their sails, having ended a six-game winless run in the Championship by beating Portsmouth 2-1 on March 15, but 18 of their last 19 FA Cup games against top-flight teams have ended in defeat.
The Deepdale faithful could be forgiven for turning a blind eye to the head-to-head record too, as Preston have only won one of their last 15 matches with Aston Villa in all competitions, although their three most recent meetings - a trio of Championship battles in 2018 - all ended level.
Team News
Ollie Watkins's omission from the England squad did raise a few eyebrows, but Villa's chief marksman did pick up a knee injury in the second leg of the UCL win over Club Brugge, albeit one that Emery labelled "small" at the time.
The former Brentford striker has trained fully in recent days and is therefore expected to be given the green light to start on Sunday, so Ross Barkley (knee) may be the visitors' only injury-related absentee for the trip to Deepdale.
However, Chelsea loanee Axel Disasi is cup-tied, so expect Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings to pair up at the back as Pau Torres continues to build his fitness back up following a metatarsal fracture.
Emery might have nearly all of his players at his disposal, but the same cannot be said for Preston, who are guaranteed to be missing seven troops for the quarter-final clash.
Both Sam Greenwood and Ryan Ledson are suspended, as the former was sent off in the win over Portsmouth after Ledson picked up his second FA Cup booking of the season against Burnley, while Ryan Porteous is cup-tied and Kaine Kesler-Hayden cannot face his parent club.
Furthermore, Jack Whatmough (calf) is not expected to play again this season, while Ali McCann (calf) and Brad Potts (hamstring) have failed to make the cut also.
On a more pleasing note, Osmajic has battled back from a hip concern to be available, but the Montenegrin striker has also been charged by the FA after an allegation of racist abuse towards Burnley's Hannibal Mejbri.
Preston North End possible starting lineup:
Woodman; Storey, Gibson, Lindsay, Bauer, Brady; Whiteman, Frokjaer-Jensen; Thordarson; Keane, Osmajic
Aston Villa possible starting lineup:
Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen; McGinn, Tielemans; Asensio, Rogers, Rashford; Watkins
We say: Preston North End 0-2 Aston Villa
Momentum can be lost straight after a two-week hiatus, but a near full-strength Villa side will surely make light work of a Preston outfit ruing injuries, suspensions and ineligible players.
The hosts' 5-2-1-2 shape could frustrate Emery's side for a short while, but the visitors will surely break through eventually, and gaps should open up for the Lions to put the quarter-final out of sight as Preston search in vain for a response.
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