The games come thick and fast when you’re competing across multiple competitions in the Premier League. And tomorrow, late in the afternoon, we head to Wembley (which really should be a proper neutral ground) for the FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace.
If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know that when I’m in one of those moods, I like to take the P a bit. And today? I’m definitely in that mood. The only thing holding me back is that I’ve got a soft spot for Palace—and for their top blogger, HLTCO, who’s always been fair and often kind about Villa over the years. So, for once, I’ll bite my tongue. But I really want us to win in style.
Palace’s recent form has been a bit all over the place. Back-to-back batterings at the hands of Manchester City and Newcastle on the 12th and 16th of April looked ominous. But credit where it’s due—they bounced back well, finishing that run with a solid draw against Arsenal. That sort of result can lift a side just enough to cause problems.
Villa, on the other hand, suffered a cruel late loss to City on Tuesday night. It’s a result that’s taken a real chunk out of our Champions League hopes. But I don’t think it’ll derail us for the semi-final. If anything, I expect a reaction.
There’s been a bit of noise about a disagreement between Emery and Watkins over selection—minor stuff, but it’s worth keeping an eye on. Still, our squad has real depth and quality, and I fancy us to show that against Palace.
I believe we’ll do it. We have to. Not just for a shot at silverware, but to give ourselves that extra push for Champions League football next season. UTV