If you think we’ve got one foot in the final, you’re just flat out wrong. I’ve banged on all season about there being no easy matches, and despite Aston Villa’s struggles in the Premier League, this falls firmly in line with what I’ve been saying.
We’ve seen miraculous things at Wembley down the years and a lot of times we’ve been involved. One only needs to think back to the last time we won the FA Cup for a story you couldn’t write if you tried. That new monstrosity in the Capital may have lost some of the mystique and the magic the old stadium possessed, but make no mistake — players and managers alike know that winning silverware is what it’s all about.
Maybe for the Villans, staying in the league is more important in the grand scheme of things, but the distraction of the cup will be a welcome one indeed. Tim Sherwood has done a fantastic job of turning their fortunes around since being drafted in, but sitting only six points above the drop zone with five matches left to play isn’t a comfortable place for any manager. That being said, he won’t be thinking about avoiding relegation on Sunday, instead he may be wondering who he’s going to put in the starting eleven.
With a bit of an injury crisis on his hands, he won’t exactly be spoiled for choice. Gabriel Agbonlahor is touch and go with a hamstring strain, but he buck doesn’t stop there. Carlos Sanchez, youngster Carles Gil are almost certain to join the suspended Cieran Clark in the stands, but the Villans are almost certain to be hardest hit in defence with Alan Hutton, Philippe Senderos and Aly Cissoko all either ruled out or serious doubts.
Reds boss Brendan Rodgers has problems of his own with star striker Daniel Sturridge almost certain to be sidelined this weekend and Mamadou Sakho’s hamstring injury putting him on the treatment table for the next month. The Northern Irishman will be welcoming back both Steven Gerrard and Martin Skrtel to the side though after both players served their respective three match bans picked up in the wake of the calamitous defeat at the hands of Manchester United, and with Villa striker Christian Benteke rediscovering his eye for goal, the Slovakian couldn’t have returned at a better time.
The Anfield outfit may boast a pretty impressive record when squaring off with the Villans in the FA Cup — six wins on the trot without conceding a single goal — but things can change in the blink of an eye. Villa have enough quality in their squad to cause anyone problems on the day and they’ll be extra motivated to reach their first final since the turn of the century. That in itself makes them extra dangerous, but Liverpool will be no less motivated to book a place in the final. There may be no easy matches, but this club is all about winning trophies — even if they have to do it the hard way. It’s more fun that way anyway…
–Steven
