Aston Villa v Tottenham: Fortress Villa Park to remain intact | OneFootball

English FA Cup

Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham were hammered at Anfield on Thursday

Tottenham tumbled out of the League Cup on Thursday, and Kevin Hatchard believes they'll suffer the same fate in the FA Cup on Sunday night...

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Aston Villa v TottenhamSunday 10 February, 17:35Live on BBC One

Villa fighting on multiple fronts

Given that Aston Villa are in the last 16 of the Champions League and that they have work to do to get into the top five for next season (the Premier League will almost certainly get a fifth UCL spot next term), it's unclear at this stage whether manager Unai Emery will make the FA Cup a priority. To give him credit, the Basque tactician went strong for the third-round win over West Ham, but can he afford to keep doing that?

The deadline day arrival of Chelsea centre-back Axel Disasi plugs a hole in the back line, but injuries to Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres have stretched defensive resources, and the experienced Diego Carlos was sold to Fenerbahce. In attack, Villa are far better off, to the point where new recruit Donyell Malen was left out of the Champions League squad, and Emi Buendia was given the green light to join German champions Bayer Leverkusen.

It's not clear at this stage how much of a part loan signing Marcus Rashford will play in the near future. The former England forward was sidelined for months by new Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim, and it may take a whole for Villa to get him in shape.

Villa's form of late has lacked consistency. They have won just one of the last five games in all competitions, and four of the last ten in all competitions. However, it's worth noting that Emery has turned Villa Park back into a fortress, with only two competitive defeats suffered there all season.

Postecoglou must recover from lowest ebb

There's no shame in losing to Liverpool, who currently look like the best team in England and one of the most accomplished in Europe, but the manner of Spurs' Carabao Cup semi-final defeat on Thursday was alarming. Tottenham were dismantled by a rampant Liverpool at Anfield, and they barely laid a glove on the Reds as a 1-0 first-leg lead became a 4-1 aggregate defeat.

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou admitted his team failed to get any sort of grip on the game, and that they had wasted a glorious chance to reach a cup final. Tottenham have now suffered seven defeats in their last 13 competitive matches, and given that they are a massive 14 points off the top six, winning the FA Cup or the Europa League seems their only viable route into European competition for next season.

At least the club was able to do some much-needed transfer business before the window closed. I believe the acquisition of versatile Bayern Munich forward Mathys Tel will prove to be something of a coup, while former Lens defender Kevin Danso is an established performer with Champions League football on his cv.

The Spurs injury list is still a significant one. Dominic Solanke, Radu Dragusin, Brennan Johnson, Cristian Romero, Guglielmo Vicario, Wilson Odobert, Richarlison, Destiny Udogie, James Maddison and Timo Werner are all inured, which is basically an entire team that's on the sidelines. Tel could make his first Spurs start as cover for the crocked Solanke, while fellow January signing Antonin Kinsky will deputise in goal again.

Rogers to shine in Villa success

Tottenham were absolutely awful at Anfield, and given their lack of rhythm and energy, it's hard to see them stopping Villa here. You can back Villa/Draw Double Chance here, BTTS and a Morgan Rogers shot on target at evens on the Sportsbook's Bet Builder.

Villa are unbeaten in their last ten at home in all competitions, a run that goes back to late October. Both teams have found the net in ten of Villa's last 12 competitive home matches, and both teams have injury crises in defence.

Watkins has hit the target at least once in 14 of his last 19 competitive appearances, and in 33 games for club and country this term, the England striker has had a healthy 38 efforts on target.

Kamara won't be shy in the tackles

Villa's Boubacar Kamara has been pressed into service as a centre-back in the last couple of games, and has been fouled twice in each. He's been fouled twice or more in nine of his 24 games this term, and given that new signing Disasi is cup-tied, there's a good chance he could line up at CB again.

You can back Kamara to be fouled at least twice at 11/10.

Now read Kev's Bundesliga previews here!

Recommended bets

Back Villa/Draw, BTTS and Watkins to have a shot on target @ 1/1

Back Boubacar Kamara to be fouled twice or more @ 11/10