High stakes Wembley test in FA Cup semi-final clash with Crystal Palace | OneFootball

A sense of nervous excitement is present in the buildup to today's FA Cup semi-final match. Aston Villa are capable of getting the job done at Wembley and advancing. There is plenty of quality. Unai Emery, more often than not, has been getting it right as of late.

In this sport, however, anything can happen. Even as a favorite, Crystal Palace can play well and are certainly capable of achieving their aim in this fixture as well. Particularly if Villa comes out flat-footed, CPFC will be able to take advantage of any errors or capitalize on missed opportunities from AVFC.

Even in the worst-case scenario, Emery has the team needed to, at a minimum, always keep things close. Even if trailing late, Villa will always have a chance to find a late equalizer and force extra time. Ideally, the Villans find a way to control the match from the start and create a multi-goal separation.

There is a lot of pressure on this moment. It's important to remember that even with a win, there will still be an unfinished task at hand. Winning on Saturday only allows the privilege of facing the winner of Manchester City and Nottingham Forest. A difficult final would await Villa either way.

That's an aspect that can wait for another day, however. Facing Palace is a massive test. It's a high-pressure moment that can often see players shrink when the occasion calls. Regardless of how the game unfolds, even if it ends up being a comfortable victory for Villa, performing well today is an excellent experience and something for this club to continue to build on.

It often takes a breakthrough occasion after years of heartache before an ultimate triumph comes. The issue becomes if something goes wrong, or if Palace have a late lead, that the Villans then have a hard time being able to overcome self-doubt. Due to the lack of achieving the success of a trophy, that goal as a club is still being pursued.

Ending a 20+ year drought

Everyone knows this. Overcoming difficult moments within a must-win match is difficult as is. Trying to also overcome the need to be the first to earn a piece of silverware since the EFL Cup in the 90s makes it all the more challenging. Fortunately for any Villa supporters, the way this roster is assembled makes it so that all players know that they have to consistently play at a high level in order to earn continued playing time.