Aston Villa vs Liverpool: FA Cup match preview

A look ahead to this weekend’s second FA Cup semi-final at Wembley

Raheem Sterling shakes hands with Brendan Rodgers (Getty Images)

Roll up, roll up, for the next instalment of ‘The Tim Sherwood Show’, with the small matter of an FA Cup semi-final on the undercard. Expect touchline tantrums, flailing gilets, a lot of unfunny Vines and the sort of hyper-intensity that ‘Tactics Tim’ has shot into the arm of Aston Villa.

What was the top flight’s most anaemic outfit is now playing as a cohesive, inspired unit. Their surge out of convalescence has been led by Christian Benteke, an imposing young striker gradually recovering from injury, and a manager in Sherwood who, while stubbornly wearing his heart on his sleeve, forces ours into our mouths.

Liverpool’s Brendan Rodgers, meanwhile, continues to billow whichever way the wind blows. Two weeks ago, after his side fell to a dismal defeat at the Emirates, he conceded that there was “too much ground to make up” in their bid for fourth spot. Since then, victories over Blackburn and Newcastle have put his side “back on track again” and a second successive qualification for the Champions League is now a possibility.

It is unlikely, however, that Rodgers sees the FA Cup as a distraction from the pursuit of Manchester City. His team selections in this competition have suggested that he will do his best to ensure Steven Gerrard has his birthday treat of a Wembley send-off come May 30 and, despite the high standards his side set last year, fifth place and a cup win may just save par for the season.

KICK-OFF: Sunday, 3pm

PAST MEETINGS...

Aston Villa 0 Liverpool 2 (Borini, Lambert), Premier League, January 2015

Liverpool 0 Aston Villa 1 (Agbonlahor), Premier League, September 2014

Liverpool 2 (Sturridge, Gerrard) Aston Villa 2 (Weimann, Benteke), Premier League, January 2014

STATS...

The two sides have previously met seven times in the FA Cup, with Liverpool emerging victorious on all but one occasion.

Liverpool have not won any of their FA Cup ties by more than one goal this season.

Both goals Aston Villa have conceded in the FA Cup on the road to the semi-final have come in stoppage time.

ODDS...

Aston Villa to win: 5.80

Liverpool to win: 1.50

Draw: 3.70

TV: Live on BT Sport 1 at 3pm