Aston Villa were defeated convincingly by Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday, meaning the Premier League now receives their full attention
Aston Villa suffered desperate disappointment on the big stage on Saturday, as they were convincingly turned over 3-0 by Premier League rivals Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-final.
In a fortnight which has tested the endurance and determination of the Villa squad, and manager Unai Emery, in which they have gone toe to toe with Paris Saint-Germain, inflicted a damaging defeat on Newcastle United but also received one from Manchester City, this proved to be a bridge too far.
Villa were undone by Eberechi Eze early doors when he fired past Emiliano Martinez, and then in the second half Ismaila Sarr struck twice – one late on – to haul the game out of Villa’s reach. It could’ve been worse, had Jean-Philippe Mateta converted a penalty and seen another strike chalked off for a soft foul on Ezri Konsa.
Now, Villa have four league games in which they must likely win at least the majority of them in order to secure another year of Champions League football, beginning next weekend with the visit of Fulham. Here is what the national press made of the afternoon at Wembley.
The Telegraph
Villa will now turn their focus exclusively to the Premier League and finishing in the top five. It would be premature to suggest that their season is threatening to unravel, with four vital league games left to play.
Competing in the Champions League next season has always been Emery’s ultimate goal and it remains tantalisingly in their grasp.
Few would bet against Emery ending another stirring season with a flourish, yet he will need a swift response after this tepid team performance.
Read the full article here.
The i Paper
Causes for concern and to maybe address in the summer, but first though Unai Emery must somehow pick his squad up for the Premier League’s final straight.
They are still in the battle to finish in the top five, and though it has been another season of progress, as Emery would like to point out, this season could end with three agonising near-misses: the defeat to PSG for one, this FA Cup loss, and their bid to return to the Champions League next season.
It isn’t over yet, though, and Emery wants Villa to channel the pain of this Wembley defeat in the four league games remaining.
Read the full article here.
Mail Online
Palace will return for the final against Nottingham Forest or Manchester City.
Villa’s campaign, however, is unravelling at speed. Out of Europe, albeit in fighting style, they lost late at Manchester City in midweek and have now been crushed in the FA Cup.
Emery will not want to see Oliver Glasner again in a hurry. Their teams have met five times inside the last year. Villa have lost four of them.
Palace knocked them out of the League Cup in October, took a point from Villa Park in November, put four past them at Selhurst Park in February, and five past them in May last year. In truth, this could have been more emphatic.
Read the full article here.
BBC Sport
Aston Villa can have no complaints after another big opportunity slipped away. They will be feeling much the same disappointment as they experienced with their recent Champions League quarter-final loss against Paris St-Germain.
Yet whereas the Champions League loss could be filed under the bracket of glorious failure, there was no consolation here as they were picked apart by Palace’s deadly attack.
Villa had run out of ideas and energy long before the end, the sight of Sarr racing through to add the third only adding to their agony.
Emery’s side remain firmly in the hunt for a place in next season’s Champions League as they lie seventh in the Premier League, but one bitter blow is following another at the moment.
Following on from conceding a last-gasp winner at Manchester City in midweek, the manner of this loss on this big stage will be a particularly painful one to shake off.
Read the full article here.
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