If we win tonight we will have what many will agree, is the best possible draw for the next round. I say if, but we should and while nothing in football is a foregone conclusion, we should.
So, if we do win tonight, we will be another step closer to another Wembley final and it isn't that I don't value the League Cup, I want to win as much as anyone on Sunday and winning on Sunday will be the best day as an Aston Villa fan for a number of years, but if you are going to win silverware, after the League, the FA Cup is the big one, in terms of domestic competitions.
Winning the FA Cup would really elevate us. The League Cup will elevate us for a bit but will be seen as a bigger success by our own fans than others. Winning the FA Cup would be seen as a much bigger success by other fans and really would be quite impressive.
Not that the League Cup isn't a success. If I was offered the League Cup today and going out tonight, I'd take it. Silverware is important and that is me just been greedy; there is no reason we can't win both and I want both, but I am also just trying to take one week at a time and when we win on Sunday, the focus will very much be FA Cup for me.
FA Cup Replay
So, to tonight and you will be able to watch the match on the FA website here or Villa Streams here and we will be adding team news as we get it and doing live updates here and on Twitter.
Early Team News
This is difficult. I really do believe one or two players will get rested and I think that is all that can be done. That isn't to say it isn't needed, but I think that a change or two will be good and I also don't think too many changes can now be made, it is too late to make wholesale changes, to use a phrase used by someone yesterday.
I'm not going to say that I think Milner needs a rest or that it might be a good idea for Petrov, but if it is those two, I think it will be the best choice. I think also that O'Neill could play his eleven for Sunday on Saturday and they'll still give 100% on both days and I think it might still be enough. I am confident in O'Neill getting the players up for it on Sunday.
Big Match
This is new territory for us. One Cup Final, another within touching distance. We can not take our eye off the ball tonight and I'm sure it will be a very good game and after the 16 minutes last Sunday, I think we might see another spell just like that tonight.
So, updates as and when we get today. Please update with any links in the comments below and below, some links to some news that I'm not mentioning above, but worth a read.
- Cup Ticket Factsheet - club site
- Guide to Wembley - club site
- Carling Cup English players - guardian.co.uk