Two games in store for Aston Villa last week, as Villans had a midweek Premier League game in store, and Cup football over the weekend.
FA Cup
Cardiff City was the opponent at the occasion of FA Cup Round Five at Villa Park. Not exactly flying high in the English Championship, the Welsh selection features one well known name in Ethan Horvath, once Club's man between the posts.
The first half saw a festival of chances for the hosts, but Bailey, Rashford and Watkins all were unable to beat Horvath. The Cardiff defense finally self-destructed in the second half: Tielemans chipping it to Rashford, who found Asensio in front of goal, wrong footing Horvath to make it 1-0. With ten minutes on the clock, Asensio added another to make it 2-0. Next up in the FA Cup for Aston Villa will be Preston in the Quarter Finals.
With four goals in 3 games, winter signing Marco Asensio has made a mark at Aston Villa. That other winter signing, Marcus Rashford, provided the assist for three of those four.
Premier League
A couple of days prior to the FA Cup tie, Aston Villa made its way to London to face locals Crystal Palace, in fine fittle with five wins in seven.
And the Eagles made it hard on Aston Villa in the first half, as Ismaïla Sarr opened the score after thirty minutes, missing an excellent opportunity to make it 2-0 just two minutes later. Things could have gone worse for the hosts had Rogers not equalised from an off-side position as VAR intervened. Five minutes into the second half, it was all to play for as Martinez kicked it towards Watkins, heading it towards Rogers who took it in the turn, cutting away from his defender to slice it in (1-1). Not taken aback, Crystal Palace soon took the lead again through Mateta, and kept going for more as Sarr scored his second of the night upon a fine Munoz cross. A fourth followed in stoppage time as Nketiah made it 4-1 at Selhurst Park.