Just two injury concerns for Aston Villa as they prep for this weekend’s FA Cup quarterfinal clash at Preston North End. Midfielder Ross Barkley (calf) and Ollie Watkins (knee) will both need to pass late fitness tests in order to make the matchday squad at Deepdale.
Obviously Watkins is the far more important of the two, and that’s good news for manager Unai Emery, as he is thought to be the one who is closer to full match fitness.
FA Cup Quarterfinals FYIs
Aston Villa at Preston North End
Kickoff: Sun. March 30, Deepdale, Preston, UK
Preview Material for Both Sides: Starting Lineup Predictions Team News
Aston Villa Full Injury Report: go here
Previews of the Other Sunday FA Cup Quarterfinal (Man City-Bournemouth) Lineup Predictions Team News
Preston North End Team News
So given that we don’t really have anything else to cover with the Villans, we’ll just move on to Preston. Ali McCann (calf) is sidelined for this match, which is one of the biggest in their recent history.
Meanwhile Brad Potts (hamstring) and Milutin Osmajic (unspecified/undisclosed) face late fitness tests in order to be available for selection here.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.