Unai Emery has named his Aston Villa side to face Championship club Cardiff City in the fifth round of the FA Cup
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has named his starting XI to face Cardiff City in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
He has made four changes from the side which lost 4-1 at Crystal Palace on Wednesday as Ian Maatsen, Leon Bailey, Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford all come into the team.
Despite coming off at half-time at Selhurst Park, Emi Martinez is fit enough to start behind a defence made up of Andres Garcia, Ezri Konsa, Lamare Bogarde and Maatsen.
Youri Tielemans partners John McGinn in midfield, while Leon Bailey plays from the right and Marcus Rashford on the left as Marco Asensio supports Ollie Watkins.
Villa are also boosted by the return of Boubacar Kamara from injury, who is named amongst the substitutes.
Villa and Cardiff City have met three times previously in the FA Cup, with the Bluebirds progressing twice and the Villans going through once.
In all competitions, Villa are unbeaten in their last 15 home games against Cardiff, winning the last seven in a row. Their last Villa Park win came back in December 1954.
Omer Riza’s side come into the game on the back of a big win over Hull City in their bid to remain in the Championship. Without a win in their last five away games, Cardiff lost 7-0 at Leeds United at the start of February.
Villa starting XI: Martinez, Garcia, Konsa, Bogarde, Maatsen, Tielemans, McGinn, Bailey, Asensio, Rashford, Watkins.
Subs: Olsen, Zych, Digne, Rowe, Kamara, Rogers, Ramsey, Jimoh-Aloba.
Cardiff starting XI: Hovarth, Ng, Lawlow, Goutas, Fish, Giles, Ramsey, Colwill, Willock, El Ghazi, Robinson.
Subs: Turner, Bagan, O’Dowda, Mannsverk, Robertson, Davies, Nyakuhwa, Ashford, Salech.