Lancashire

Image source, Rex Features

Paul Heckingbottom wants to ban talk of the FA Cup quarter-final against Aston Villa as his full focus is on Preston North End's Championship game against Swansea City.

North End are 15th but could close within seven points of the play-off places with a victory on Tuesday (19:45 GMT).

Heckingbottom says it's not an "insurmountable" gap to close in the final 12 games, despite taking just five points from their five matches before Saturday's 3-0 win over Burnley, which teed-up the date with Villa in the last eight.

"It's not insurmountable, but something's got to change," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire. "I have been happy with our form in terms of performances but our points haul needs to change totally.

"It's not out of the realms of possibility, but something needs to change in a big way because of the amount of traffic between us and sixth place.

"That's why these games, for me, are bigger than when we play Villa. That will take care of itself, but all these league games are really important.

"Everyone's excited about Villa, I'm not, I'm thinking about Swansea and everyone should be. People walking around talking about Villa tickets - let's beat Swansea, that's it."

The Lilywhites swept aside their Lancashire rivals in the fifth round, scoring more goals in one game than the Clarets had conceded in their previous 15 in all competitions.

"If we perform like we did at the weekend we'll give Swansea a hard time," Heckingbottom added.

"The challenge for all of us is to go and deliver the same type of performance and almost forget who we're up against, focus on ourselves to deliver our best game."

Mads Frokjaer, Jordan Storey and Ben Whiteman remain out while Heckingbottom has not given up hope of Duane Holmes or Jack Whatmough returning to action this season.

After booking their first FA Cup quarter-final place since 1966, Preston return to Championship action as Swansea head to Deepdale on Tuesday (19:45 GMT).

A victory for Paul Heckingbottom's side would take them up to 13th, seven points behind the play-off places with 11 games remaining.

The Swans are one place back in 16th but could overhaul their two-point deficit to North End with a win.

• Preston North End have won each of their past three home league games against Swansea City, last winning more in succession between 1931 and 1950 (5 games).

• Swansea City have won each of their past two league games against Preston North End and could win three in succession versus the Lilywhites for the first time since January 2009 (run of 4).

• Preston North End are unbeaten in their past 10 home league games (W3 D7), their longest run at Deepdale since November 2019 (11); PNE have drawn more home matches than any other Championship side this season, however (8).

• Swansea City won 3-0 against Blackburn in their first Championship match after Luke Williams' dismissal, their joint-biggest league victory of the season; the Swans haven't won back-to-back league games since their final two matches of 2023-24.

• Preston North End's Emil Riis has scored four goals in his past five home appearances in the Championship, twice as many as across his previous 15 league outings at Deepdale (2 goals).

Burnley return to the bread-and-butter of the Championship promotion race after their FA Cup exploits as they head to Cardiff on Tuesday (19:45 GMT).

The Clarets will seek to extend their record-breaking defensive record as they play their game in hand on second-placed Sheffield United, who are five points ahead in the second automatic promotion place.

The Bluebirds are five points ahead of third-bottom Luton, in the final relegation place, having also played a game fewer.

• Cardiff City have lost four of their past five league games against Burnley (D1), as many defeats as across their prior 23 meetings with the Clarets combined (W8 D11).

• Burnley are unbeaten across their past eight league games against Cardiff City (W4 D4), since a 4-0 defeat in October 2012.

• Cardiff City are unbeaten in each of their past six home league games (W3 D3), last going longer without defeat at the Cardiff City Stadium in February 2020 under Neil Harris (run of 8).

• Burnley have kept a clean sheet in each of their past 12 Championship games, with only Manchester United between November 2008 and February 2009 ever keeping more straight shutouts in English Football League history (14).

• Cardiff City have lost each of their five league matches against the Championship's current top four sides this season by an aggregate score of 18-0, losing their most recent 7-0 to leaders Leeds United at Elland Road.

Image source, Rex Features

Disappointed Scott Parker has defended making nine changes for Burnley's FA Cup defeat at Preston.

The Clarets went down 3-0 at Lancashire rivals Preston North End to miss out on a potential quarter-final tie at home to Aston Villa.

Parker's side are third in the Championship, five points adrift of Sheffield United in the second automatic promotion place, and play their game in hand at Cardiff on Tuesday night.

Goalkeeper James Trafford, defender CJ Egan-Riley and forward Zian Flemming were among the first-teamers to be rested at Deepdale, but Parker told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It wasn't a difficult decision.

"If you win the tie, like we did at Southampton (in round four), it gets wiped away. This squad are together, they deserve to play in this game.

"We have got a quick turnaround for another big game at Cardiff, we travel on Monday. I need to manage the squad.

"We wanted to go through to the next round, we've not managed to do that."

Burnley conceded more goals in one game than they had in their previous 15 matches in all competitions, ending a run of nine consecutive clean sheets.

"It's disappointing," Parker added. "We fell short in a tough tie, there's no denying that.

"We fell short in the basics, in the foundation of this game and what was needed we came up a little bit short, we were second best to a lot of things really.

"I think it's fair to say it was a mixture of them playing well and us being a bit below par. For the majority of this year we have built our game on a foundation of the basics and we didn't manage to do that. It was a difficult day for us."

Image source, Rex Features

Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson says Aston Villa "won't relish" being drawn away to Preston North End in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

The Lilywhites reached the last eight for the first time since the year England won the World Cup, 1966, courtesy of a 3-0 derby win over Burnley at Deepdale on Saturday and they are the last EFL side left in the competition.

"It's the quarter-final of the FA Cup - Villa won't be relishing the challenge at Preston," Robinson told the BBC Football Daily: FA Cup Debrief podcast.

"No disrespect to Preston but everyone will have wanted them at home, nobody will have fancied going there.

"He's done well there, Paul Heckingbottom. What I've seen of Preston since he's gone in, he's recruited well, changed the style of football."

Robinson ended his career with Burnley but encouraged the Clarets' rivals to seize their opportunity.

He added: "They are a Preston side who are playing the best football I've seen them play in a number of years. I think they are in a really good place.

"I don't like the saying 'it's a free hit' but it absolutely is for Preston - go and enjoy it!"