Statistics That Paint the Picture for FA Cup Semi-Final Weekend

This weekend marks the FA Cup semi-finals, with all four competing teams hoping to make a return to Wembley for the final on May 17.

In Saturday’s opening match, Crystal Palace will take on Aston Villa, with Unai Emery’s side keen to turn the tide of recent results.

The Villans have not triumphed in their last four encounters with the Eagles across all competitions (D1 L3), conceding a total of 13 goals during that stretch. Earlier this season, Palace also eliminated them from the League Cup.

To date, only Tottenham have managed to knock Villa out of both the FA and League Cups in a single season (1968/69).

Aston Villa’s Wembley Misfortunes

The Villans have struggled at Wembley in recent years, losing six of their last eight matches at the iconic ground. Their last visit saw them fall 2-1 to Manchester City in the 2020 League Cup final. Their only victories in this run came against Liverpool in the 2015 FA Cup semi-final and a 2-1 win over Derby County in the 2019 Championship play-offs.

Despite their current woes, Villa has historically had an advantage over Palace in the FA Cup.

The two clubs have clashed three times in the competition, with Palace failing to progress on each occasion, suffering defeats of 5-0 in the third round in 1912/13, 4-3 in the third round in 1961/62, and 3-1 in a fifth-round replay in 2009/10.

Unai Emery boasts a strong record in single-leg semi-final cup ties, having progressed in all four he has managed: two Coupe de la Ligue matches (4-1 versus Bordeaux, and 3-2 versus Rennes) and two Coupe de France matches (5-0 against Monaco, and 3-1 against Caen) with Paris Saint-Germain in 2016/17 and 2017/18.

Crystal Palace have yet to claim the FA Cup, finishing as runners-up in 1989/90 and 2015/16 against Manchester United. In contrast, Aston Villa have won the prestigious trophy on seven occasions, though their last triumph came back in the 1958/59 season.

Since the turn of the millennium, Villa have lost two FA Cup finals, facing Chelsea in 1999/2000 and Arsenal in 2014/15. They have reached a total of 11 FA Cup finals, a feat only seven teams have surpassed.

Welcome to the Spotlight, Rashford

This will be Crystal Palace’s sixth FA Cup semi-final, alternating between elimination (1976, 1995, 2022) and reaching the final (1990, 2016) in their earlier semi-final instances.

Previously, they advanced past Fulham in this season’s quarter-finals but had faced elimination in eight of their last ten Cup ties against Premier League teams. Their last successful campaign against more than one Premier League side in the same season dates back to 2015/16.

With attacking flair on both sides, keep an eye on Villa’s Marcus Rashford, who seems to have found new life at Villa Park.

In domestic competitions this season, Rashford has contributed to six goals (four goals, two assists) across both Manchester United and Aston Villa, and has been involved in 40 goals in 60 FA Cup and League Cup matches since the 2016/17 season (26 goals, 14 assists), more than any other player in the Premier League.

Despite his impressive record, he is yet to score or provide an assist in an FA Cup semi-final, having played five such matches.

Nottingham Forest Eager for a Final Return

On Sunday, Nottingham Forest will face cup favourites Manchester City in the other semi-final.

If the Tricky Trees can topple Pep Guardiola’s dynamic side, they will reach their first FA Cup final since the 1990/91 season, where they lost to Tottenham Hotspur.

This particular match has been etched in memory for Paul Gascoigne’s notorious tackle on Gary Charles, which resulted in the latter sustaining a cruciate ligament injury and leaving the field on a stretcher after just 17 minutes.

Interestingly, this marks Forest’s first FA Cup semi-final appearance since defeating West Ham 4-0 at Villa Park in the same year, and Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad will be hoping for a favourable outcome.

Surprisingly, Manchester City have a dismal record against Forest, having lost four of their five FA Cup encounters (W1), their most recent defeat being a 3-0 loss at home in the third round during the 2008/09 season. Importantly, Forest has already achieved a 1-0 league victory over City this season and has not beaten them twice within the same campaign since the 1989/90 season.

Nonetheless, City is on a quest to create history.

This marks their seventh consecutive FA Cup semi-final appearance, with three wins and three losses from the previous six. They are aiming to reach the final for a third straight year, a first in club history.

Additionally, having reached the League Cup final three consecutive times, they stand to be the first club in English football to achieve such a remarkable feat.

Wembley: A Second Home for City

The new Wembley Stadium has become something of a second home for City, marking their 28th appearance, while Nottingham Forest will only make their second visit since the venue’s reopening in 2007, having previously celebrated a 1-0 victory against Huddersfield in the 2022 Championship play-off final.

Don’t be surprised if this match heads to penalties, as Forest has participated in shootouts in the fourth round, fifth round, and quarter-finals this season — a first for any team in a single FA Cup campaign.

City similarly faced a penalty shootout in the Carabao Cup against Newcastle, with Chelsea in 2021/22 being the only top-tier club to experience five shootouts in a single season.

The key player for City in this semi-final is undoubtedly Kevin De Bruyne, whose impact will be pivotal in determining the outcome.

As he approaches what may be his final FA Cup campaign with City, the departure to foreign shores may loom as his illustrious career nears its end.

Since his first appearance in the competition back in January 2016, no player has contributed to more goals than De Bruyne in the FA Cup proper (28 goals – 10 scored and 18 assisted).

Despite rumours suggesting a decline in the prestige of this historic competition, the FA Cup continues to capture the hearts of both clubs and fans alike.

By Sunday evening, only two of the four teams remaining will continue their cup journey. The challenge remains as to who those two teams will be….