The draw for the FA Cup quarter-finals has been made. Here are the four ties in the order they were drawn.
Games will be played over the final weekend of March.
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Preston v Aston Villa
Bournemouth v Manchester City
Brighton v Nottingham Forest/Ipswich
Image source, Getty ImagesWe asked for your views on Aston Villa's performance against Cardiff City, as Unai Emery's side sealed their spot in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Here are some of your comments:
Rob: A solid and professional performance. There were some hints of fantastic play - Asensio's ball control is just sublime - but, while a strong team was played, we were clearly keeping some energy back for the Brugge game. Cardiff's Ethan Horvath had a fantastic night in goal and deservedly won man of the match. Overall I'm pleased with the result and where we are in the season, especially when I think where Villa were before Emery came in. Every season is a building block - and there will be peaks and troughs.
Nick: A solid performance. I'm glad we went strong, as this competition at least provides the opportunity to go to Wembley. It would be good to give it a real go this season because many of the big clubs are out.
Richard: Glad to get the win and not concede, but we were often too slow in possession when attacking. Asensio and Rashford seem to be a good partnership. It's also great that all of the new signings have slotted seamlessly into Emery's style of play. Hopefully the players aren't too tired for Tuesday's game.
Lee: We did the job eventually. Rashford just needs a goal now, it will do his confidence the world of good. You can't fault his assists though, spot on.
Prit: I'm really happy with the win and it is great to see the Rashford-Asensio axis getting stronger each match. I thought Cardiff's goalkeeper had a great game and I couldn't believe he has only just got into the team. I'm still concerned about our defence. We need Torres and Mings back but, above all, we need a fit Kamara anchoring.
Ian: A good all-round showing. Marco Asensio showing Ollie Watkins how to score goals is a concern. It was nice to get a clean sheet. Let's hope this sparks an improvement in form and results.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe road to Wembley continues this weekend, as teams battle it out to book their spot in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
There is still lots of Premier League interest in the competition, with 11 top-flight teams all dreaming of a trip to Wembley. Aston Villa are already in the hat for the last eight after victory over Cardiff City on Friday.
The draw will take place on BBC One after Sunday's tie between Manchester United and Fulham at Old Trafford, which kicks off at 16:30 GMT and features Danny Murphy, Micah Richards and Wayne Rooney in the studio with host Gary Lineker.
If you're wondering how to follow the remaining fifth-round ties, find all the information you need here.
Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?
Tell us your thoughts on Villa's performance here
Come back to this page on Saturday to find a selection of your replies
Image source, Getty ImagesIn all competitions, Aston Villa are unbeaten in their past 15 home games against Cardiff City, winning the past seven in a row. Cardiff have not won at Villa Park since December 1954.
The rest of the season is going to be a bit of a juggling act for Aston Villa.
They are still in the Champions League and also trying to finish high enough in the Premier League to qualify for it again next season.
So, it will be interesting to see if they target the FA Cup too. I'm sure Unai Emery would ideally like to keep his finger in every pie, but we've seen how that has stretched his squad already.
Still, this is where you want to be as a Villa fan, with your team fighting on all fronts near the end of the season - and they will be favourites for this tie even if Emery rests players.
Let's face it, Cardiff are pretty hopeless, especially on the road where they have only won one Championship game all season.
Cardiff have won away twice in the FA Cup, against Sheffield United and Stoke City, but it was basically the Blades reserves who they beat in round three.
They may rest players too - it depends whether they prioritise this tie or their relegation fight and Tuesday's league game at home to Burnley - but, even if they don't make changes, Villa will probably be too strong for them, especially at home.
Sutton's prediction: 3-1
Listen to live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is prepared to turn his January loan move to Aston Villa into a permanent deal. (Sun - subscription required), external
The Premier League could be forced to have two separate transfer windows this summer because of disruption caused by the Club World Cup. (Guardian), external
Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Friday's FA Cup fifth-round tie against Cardiff City at Villa Park (kick-off 20:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Emery confirmed Pau Torres and Ross Barkley both remain out through injury, while Matty Cash is close and will be assessed on Thursday. Tyrone Mings, Emiliano Martinez, Amadou Onana, Boubacar Kamara and Donyell Malen are also all doubts for the game.
On the importance of the FA Cup and whether it possesses their best chance of obtaining European football next season: "It's a way for a trophy and it's a way for Europe. The winner will play in the Europa League next year. We have three ways - Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup. We are not contenders for this trophy."
Asked why, he said "there are other teams with more options than us" and added: "To try to compete in this competition and to have a way for a trophy is very important. And then there is prestige. Every player, the club and the coaches would like one way of trying to get prestige as well."
The Villa boss insisted that, despite facing a Championship side, they have "respect for the competition" and "respect every team that is competing in this round".
On Villa's run in the competition and opportunity to reach the quarter finals: "We are being consistent in this competition this year. At home against West Ham and Tottenham, we played a great two matches and we won. Tomorrow is another opportunity to keep being consistent. Our demands are in different ways, individually and collectively, to get confidence, to get comfortable and to try to transmit to our supporters our wishes in this competition.
On their busy schedule: "We're focusing on every competition, focusing on each match and how the players are recovering after playing a lot of minutes. We're looking at how we can adapt the new players in our structure. This is the task we have now."
Catch up on all of Thursday's latest football news
Full commentary of Aston Villa v Cardiff City from 20:00 GMT on Friday on BBC Radio 5 Live
Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter
Image source, Getty Images"We have to be happy, because we have FA Cup on Friday, and we have Champions League next week. If we are not playing those competitions, we will rest a lot of days.
"Of course, I prefer to play in a lot of matches in different competitions like we are. But the Premier League we will play in 12 days again, and of course this is the first objective. I think we can achieve our objective."
When you speak to Unai Emery, and observe him at work, it is hard to believe that there has ever been anyone quite so besotted with football as him. More specifically, he is clearly besotted by football matches.
Occasionally, you meet a coach who leaves you with the impression that the coaching itself is the pure form of this work, and the matches are almost a disturbance. Not Emery. Although meticulous in his planning, you could imagine if he had enough resources he would manage a match every day and still never tire of it.
But the resources are the problem. Perhaps the workload is too obvious an explanation for Villa's misfiring form – especially away – this season, but it is becoming hard to see past it.
They maintained a similar schedule in the Conference League last season and still managed to finish fourth, but were clearly worn out by the end of April. Emery's annoyance last week at the scheduling of the Liverpool game was notable. While relishing the contest, he was mindful of the strain on his players.
The frustration is greater because so many points have been squandered from promising positions. Yes, every team ends a season with some what-ifs, but Villa, now 10th, have fumbled away more than enough points to put them as high as third.
Just now, they are on course to miss Europe next season, which will hurt after two years of exciting journeys, and hurt Emery most of all. They could get there through the FA Cup, but that would mean more matches, and more work.
Sacrificing one competition in the hope of enhancing chances in another does not feel right for Villa either, though. It is a wicked dilemma. Villa and Emery want it all, and why shouldn't they? But what has in many ways been Aston Villa's most memorable season for a generation may also turn out to be the most maddening.
Aston Villa v Cardiff City – live commentary on BBC Radio WM (all frequencies and BBC Sounds), Friday 20:00 GMT
Tune into The West Midlands Football Phone-In from 18:00 on weeknights
Image source, Getty ImagesWe asked for your views on Aston Villa' performance against Crystal Palace.
Here are some of your comments:
Prit: As good as Villa played against Liverpool and Chelsea, this match against Palace was as bad as it gets. In Adam Wharton, Palace had by far the best player on the pitch. Villa couldn't pass, were excruciatingly slow in transition and hardly tested the goalkeeper. For the life of me, what were we thinking of putting Leon Bailey as right wing-back?
Jez: Poor defensively again and leaking goals. Plays three central defenders and still looked weak. We can't keep relying on our attacking players to get us out of trouble in games. I was surprised at the starting XI. Thought Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford would have started. Another day and VAR may have gone for us. Two goals disallowed, hit the bar and a penalty shout waived away.
Ray: Villa have become so inconsistent. The players are acting like big time Charlies and are only turning up for the high-profile games.
Gary: When we concede so many goals, why don't we accept that we can't get the level of control we want at the moment and just go for it? With so much attacking talent at our disposal, we'd surely be better off letting the handbrake off.
Aaron: Unai Emery is the best thing to happen to Villa in a very, very long time. However, he messed up on Tuesday. Poor formation selection. Just absolutely no need and we lost because of it. But we'll forgive him. We go again.
Image source, Getty ImagesUnai Emery spoke to TNT Sports Aston Villa's defeat against Crystal Palace: "We were competing well until the first goal we conceded. Good positioning and we were dominating the match. We have one goal [ruled out].
"The first chance they had, they scored. Then they got some transitioning.
"Second half we tried to come back, but then we scored, and we were excited and motivated to try to continue controlling the game with our positioning.
"They scored the second goal, and we lost our positioning on the field, and we conceded transitions, and they scored two more goals.
"It was a tough result. We competed well, but it is not enough - we move on.
"Tried to use different players at different moments. That was the plan."
On Emi Martinez injury: "He was feeling some pain. Even yesterday, he trained well, but before the match he felt better and felt confident to play.
"At half-time he told us he was not feeling good. So we decided to change him."
On other injuries: "We have some players injured, but we will not use this excuse. We have to focus on the Premier League. Now we have two competitions [FA Cup and Champions League] to play."
Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?
Have your say on Crystal Palace's performance
What did you make of Aston Villa's display?
Come back to this page on Wednesday to find a selection of your replies
Four matches make up Tuesday's Premier League action and we will bring you every moment.
Brighton v Bournemouth
Crystal Palace v Aston Villa
Wolves v Fulham
Chelsea v Southampton (20:15)
All kick-off times 19:30 GMT unless stated
David Michael
Fan writer
Image source, Getty ImagesThe fact that Opta gives Aston Villa a 7% chance of clinching a top-five Premier League spot after the weekend's games suggests just how important their comeback win against Chelsea was. Three straight home draws had seen Villa lose ground on the top spots, making the victory even more crucial.
The relief and celebrations that greeted Marco Asensio's winner certainly acknowledged that Villa's league campaign still had a pulse in terms of qualifying for Europe again. They will know they need to replicate the result when top-half rivals Newcastle and Nottingham Forest visit Villa Park in the coming months.
Upcoming trips to Crystal Palace and Brentford give Villa a realistic chance of improving that Opta percentage, especially with the knowledge that key players like Pau Torres, Boubacar Kamara, Ross Barkley, and Amadou Onana should be back to reinforce the squad by the time they return from the March international break to see out the remainder of the season.
Of course, Villa have the last-16 round of both the FA Cup and Champions League in the next week to distract them, and this is where any potential league resurgence will be truly tested.
Maintaining performance levels in such a short period of time after two very promising displays against Liverpool and Chelsea will be difficult, particularly at Palace. But the next fortnight is key.
Follow-up the Chelsea win with another three points at Selhurst Park, then take care of business against Club Brugge in the Champions League and Cardiff in the FA Cup, and the final two months of the season could offer up real opportunity.
Hopefully, by then, even Opta will acknowledge that Villa's percentage chance of success will be well above 7% across all three fronts.
Find more from David Michael at My Old Man Said, external
