Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa: FA Cup Third-Round Preview

Tottenham Hotspur host Aston Villa on Sunday in the third round of the FA Cup, as the two sides meet again in North London. The fixture comes just three months after Unai Emery’s Aston Villa secured a 2–1 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Premier League.

Spurs head into the tie low on confidence after suffering a late blow in midweek, conceding a 95th-minute winner to Antoine Semenyo in a dramatic 3–2 defeat against Bournemouth. It has been a difficult season for Tottenham, with little sign of improvement in results or consistency. Performances have continued to frustrate, leaving Spurs hovering just 13 points above the relegation zone and having collected only 27 points from their last 21 league matches.

The mood could not be more contrasting for the visitors. Aston Villa arrive in excellent form, unbeaten in 13 of their last 14 matches across all competitions. Emery’s side have been one of the standout teams this season, sitting comfortably third in the Premier League table and eight points clear of reigning champions Liverpool.

Villa were held to a draw away at Crystal Palace in their most recent outing. While some viewed the result as a missed opportunity to climb into second place, Emery described it as a “fantastic” point, underlining his side’s growing maturity and consistency.

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Tottenham’s injury problems continue to mount ahead of the tie. Mohammed Kudus is expected to be sidelined until after March with a thigh injury and joins Destiny Udogie on the treatment table, who is also nursing a thigh issue. Dominic Solanke remains out with an ankle problem, while Dejan Kulusevski is recovering from a knee injury. James Maddison faces a lengthy absence after suffering an ACL injury.

Midfield concerns also linger after both Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur were forced off during the midweek defeat to Bournemouth, casting further doubt over Spurs’ options.

Aston Villa have received a boost with Pau Torres returning to the matchday squad after recovering from a calf issue. However, Emery remains without Amadou Onana, who is sidelined with a thigh injury, while Ross Barkley continues his recovery from a knee problem.

Aston Villa’s recent FA Cup record has been mixed. A run of seven consecutive third-round exits ended in 2024, followed by a fourth-round defeat, before last season’s impressive run to the semi-finals. Whether Emery prioritises the competition this season remains to be seen, particularly with Europa League commitments and a strong push for Champions League qualification.

Even so, with Tottenham struggling for form, riddled with injuries, and pressure continuing to mount on Thomas Frank, Aston Villa will view this as a strong opportunity to continue their excellent campaign.

Prediction: Aston Villa to win, 3–1.