A second-half surge from Aston Villa saw them overcome a determined Preston North End side on Sunday afternoon, with Unai Emery’s Premier League team ultimately securing a 3-0 victory in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Preston, the only Championship side to reach the last eight, were battling both Villa’s top-flight quality and a squad hit by injuries. Nevertheless, Paul Heckingbottom’s team started strong, frustrating their higher-league opponents in the opening 45 minutes.
Villa’s best first-half effort came from Ezri Konsa, whose header was off target, while Preston’s Stefan Thordarson missed a prime opportunity with an aerial chance.
After the break, Marcus Rashford initially struggled to find the net, squandering two chances. However, in the 59th minute, the Manchester United loanee finally opened the scoring, calmly finishing after receiving a low cross from Lucas Digne. It marked Rashford’s first goal for Villa after six weeks, nine games, and 520 minutes without a goal.
Just five minutes later, Rashford doubled his tally. Morgan Rogers was awarded a penalty after being fouled by Andrew Hughes, and Rashford confidently converted to complete his brace.
Jacob Ramsey sealed the win for Villa, charging forward to score and confirm their place in the semi-finals.
