Opposition briefing: Everything you need to know about Aston Villa and Unai Emery

Match previews

3 hours ago

Crystal Palace are back in Premier League action at Selhurst Park for a midweek clash with Aston Villa (19:30 GMT) on Tuesday – before kick-off, it’s time to get the lowdown on our latest opponents…

Factfile

Manager: Unai Emery
Nickname: The Villans
Ground: Villa Park
Founded: 1874 (150 years ago)

What’s the story?

Inconsistency has proved a barrier in Aston Villa's quest to qualify for the Champions League for a second successive season. An exciting, attack-minded team, they have a below-par record on the road, with only one away Premier League victory since October.

But a run of just one defeat in their last seven games, in all competitions, plus some impressive new signings has lifted the mood at Villa Park and ensured they arrive in South London full of confidence. Fellow top-five rivals Chelsea were seen off in their last game, with new arrival Marco Asensio scoring twice.

Unai Emery's team are not solely focused on the Premier League. They have progressed to the last 16 of the Champions League, impressively qualifying automatically after a top-eight finish in the league phase.

Wins over Bayern Munich, Celtic and RB Leipzig have proved the highlights of a memorable campaign, with a two-legged tie against Club Brugge next up in Europe.

Villa are also still in the hunt for the FA Cup, although they face a tight turnaround ahead of their fifth round assignment, with a trip to Cardiff City on Friday night. In the league table they currently lie in 8th place but only two points off fifth, which could offer a route back to the Champions League.

Daichi Kamada scored the winner when these two sides met in the League Cup back in October, taking Palace into the quarter-finals for the first time since 2012.

The boss

Emery recovered from a bruising experience at Arsenal to remind everyone why he is one of the continent’s most highly respected managers, winning Europa League silverware at Villarreal before transforming Aston Villa from relegation candidates to Champions League contenders - in the space of just 18 months.

Boot in both camps

Mile Jedinak left Palace in 2016 as one of the club’s greatest captains, joining Aston Villa for the final three years of his career and making 80 appearances. Jedinak captained Palace between 2011 and 2016, sensationally scoring an 89th-minute winner against Peterborough United on the final day of the 12/13 season to secure an eventually-profitable Championship play-off place.

He continued to serve the club with distinction in the Premier League – leading the Eagles out at Wembley in the 2016 FA Cup final

England defender Gary Cahill, who played his first senior football for Villa, who spend two successful years at Palace towards the end of his career, making 45 appearances for the Eagles.

The most successful England manager of modern times, Sir Gareth Southgate played for both from Palace’s youth system in 1990, having joined the club aged 16.

He would later return to formally open Palace’s new Academy facilities after having made 191 appearances for the club, including captaining the club to the First Division title.

Defensive stalwart Southgate was equally celebrated at Villa, lifting the League Cup in his first season in the West Midlands.

Click here for a deeper look at players to have represented both clubs

Record against Palace

Palace are looking to make it three games unbeaten against Villa this season, after their Carabao Cup victory was followed with a thrilling 2-2 draw at Villa Park in the league - Ismaïla Sarr and Justin Devenny with the goals.

The Eagles produced one of their best performance in recent years when the two sides last met at Selhurst Park - a 5-0 thrashing on the final day of the 2023/24 Premier League season.

Extended Highlights: Crystal Palace 5-0 Aston Villa | Palace TV+

Did you know?

Like so many professional football teams, Aston Villa were formed by a cricket side looking for a sport to play during the tempestuous winter months. Their first match came against a local rugby side, with the first-half played under rugby rules and the second under Association Football rules – somehow, Villa kept a clean sheet.

In 1876, Scotsman George Ramsay happened to spot the players training in Aston Park, and, having been asked to make up the numbers, impressed with his close control and skill on the ball. Soon he was made club captain and drew spectators to watch matches.

In 1888, Villa became one of the 12 founding members of the Football League, heading into the competition as the FA Cup holders. By now George Ramsay was manager, thought to be football’s first professional in the role, and he soon embarked on a golden period, winning six league titles and six FA Cups.

Match Details

Crystal Palace v Aston Villa
Premier League
Tuesday, 25th February, 19:30 GMT
Selhurst Park
Limited tickets remain available here.

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