More FA Cup notes to bring you now as we focus on the matches involving Aston Villa and Manchester City.
FA CUP RESULTS
| Goals | Assists | |
|---|---|---|
| Aston Villa 2-0 Cardiff City | Asensio x2 | Rashford, Watkins |
| Manchester City 3-1 Plymouth Argyle | O’Reilly x2, De Bruyne | De Bruyne, Foden, Haaland |
TEAM SELECTION/ROTATION
| Starting XI changes from Gameweek 27 | Players who kept their place (mins) | Other mins for selected players | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aston Villa | 4 | Martinez (90), Garcia (90), Konsa (90), Bogarde (90), McGinn (90), Tielemans (90), Watkins (82) | Bailey (90), Maatsen (82), Asensio (82), Rashford (82), Digne (8), Rogers (8), Ramsey (8) |
| Manchester City | 11 | – | Ortega (90), Lewis (90), Reis (90), O’Reilly (90), Gundogan (90), De Bruyne (90), Bernardo (90), Grealish (90), Foden (83), McAtee (59), Ake (45), Dias (45), Haaland (31), Gonzalez (7) |
BLANK GAMEWEEK 34 DRAWS CLOSER FOR CITY + VILLA
Both Villa and City saw off Football League opponents to progress to the FA Cup quarter-finals – and move closer to a Blank Gameweek 34.
As it happens, the Villans and the Cityzens are scheduled to play each other in Gameweek 34. Therefore, it only needs one of them to reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup in order for their Premier League match to be postponed.
The FA Cup quarter-final draw on Sunday should give us a better idea still of how likely that is.
Due to Villa’s continued involvement in Europe (they’re favourites to get past Club Brugge, despite losing to them in November), you’d fancy that Gameweek 34 fixture – if it is to be postponed – to move to Gameweek 33.
WHOLESALE CHANGES FROM PEP – AND ANOTHER INJURY
Pep Guardiola rolled out what you would largely describe as a ‘B team’ on Saturday, give or take a player or two.
The City boss made 11 changes in all, explaining his alterations before kick-off – and hinting at a looming return for Rodri (£6.2m). The Spaniard was pictured in individual training in the last few days.
“We cannot go three days [with a game], many games. Of course, we need fresh legs. Oscar Bobb and Rodri are close to coming back.” – Pep Guardiola, speaking ahead of kick-off (as reported by the BBC)
That second-string XI looks increasingly like it includes Kevin De Bruyne (£9.3m) these days.
At 33, De Bruyne’s best days are behind him. He’s still capable of ‘moments’ though, especially against the lesser lights. Half of his 10 FPL attacking returns in 2024/25 have come against Ipswich Town, for example.
Here he assisted one of Nico O’Reilly‘s (£4.9m) two headed set-piece goals, tapping in an Erling Haaland (£14.7m) pass to round off the scoring. O’Reilly, more of a natural attacking midfielder, did a ‘Nunes’ and operated at full-back on Saturday.
A half-hour cameo for Haaland, when most of the regulars were rested, is further indication that his knee grumbles are no longer bugging him.
With Jeremy Doku (£6.2m) and Savinho (£6.2m) in good form out wide, and Omar Marmoush (£7.2m) to squeeze into a supporting striker role now that Haaland is fit (all three were completely rested against Plymouth), Phil Foden (£9.2m) faces a bit of a battle for his own place. Here he laboured to no great effect as a false nine before looking better in a more natural position when Haaland was introduced.
City’s problems at centre-half continued. Nathan Ake (£5.3m) seemed to land awkwardly just before half-time, failing to emerge after the interval.
“Now again, we have central defenders out for a long time. I think we’re going to miss Nathan.” – Pep Guardiola
ANOTHER ASENSIO BRACE
Aston Villa were the undoubted winners in the winter transfer window. Andres Garcia (£4.5m), Donyell Malen (£5.5m) and Axel Disasi (£4.2m) have all settled in well – the latter two were absent on Friday due to illness and ineligibility – but the real success stories so far are Marco Asensio (£6.1m) and Marcus Rashford (£6.7m).
Asensio delivered a brace in Gameweek 26 and repeated that trick against Cardiff, one of which was teed up by Rashford. The Manchester United loanee assisted both of Asensio’s strikes against Chelsea a week ago.
Asensio was again operating in ‘the hole’, his touch again superb.
“He’s adapting very well and has a very good opportunity with us here to play as a number 10 and he was always feeling comfortable in this position.
“When we spoke to him, even before he went to Paris, we spoke with him as well to try to get a challenge here for him in the Premier League and as a number 10 in our structure.” – Unai Emery on Marco Asensio, via the Birmingham Mail
While the Spaniard got the headlines for his two goals, Rashford was just as eye-catching. He topped the shot count (six) and key pass table (six) against the Bluebirds, supplying a couple of other teasing crosses that only just failed to find a man. He looks like a man with purpose again after drifting listlessly through his final months (years?) at Old Trafford.
Aside from the obvious lack of fixture in Gameweek 29, the problem with Asensio and Rashford in FPL is security of starts. Rashford has been a substitute in the last two Gameweeks, while Asensio was benched in Gameweek 27. Unai Emery is not just blessed with attacking midfield options – Morgan Rogers (£5.6m) and Jacob Ramsey (£5.4m) were on the bench on Friday, while Malen was absent – but also has a packed fixture schedule ahead with continued involvement in the Champions League and the FA Cup. Expect the rotation to continue.
Rogers has, still, yet to be benched in the league this season. Even in midweek, when he was an injury doubt, he started against Crystal Palace.
Ollie Watkins (£8.9m) led the line again on Friday, missing a good chance brilliantly teed up by that man Asensio again.
