Aston Villa vs Tottenham predictions: Rogers can fire Villa into last 16
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- Aston Villa are unbeaten in their last 10 home matches
- Morgan Rogers has scored six goals in his last five appearances at Villa Park
- Recommended bet: Morgan Rogers anytime goalscorer
Aston Villa and Tottenham will both be looking to put poor results behind them when they meet at Villa Park in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday.
Villa suffered their first loss in six Premier League matches when they were beaten 2-0 by struggling Midlands rivals Wolves last weekend.
Unai Emery's team have had a week to get over that disappointment, while Spurs' confidence took another knock when they were overwhelmed 4-0 by Liverpool in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final on Thursday.
Tottenham won 4-1 when these two teams met in London in November but their injury problems show no sign of abating with Richarlison picking up a calf problem at Anfield.
It has been 10 years since Villa last reached the FA Cup final, while Tottenham's defeat by Manchester United in the 2017-18 semi-finals was their eighth-successive loss at the last-four stage.
To even make the last 16 this time Spurs have to get past Premier League opposition, having needed extra-time to beat non-league Tamworth in the third round, while Villa are looking for another top-flight victim after beating West Ham 2-1 in their first match in this season's competition.
Team news
Villa's new signing Marcus Rashford is not cup-tied but may start on the bench, although Marco Asensio could make his debut.
Axel Disasi is ineligible to play after featuring for Chelsea in the third round, while Ollie Watkins (groin), Pau Torres (ankle), Tyrone Mings (knee). Ross Barkley (calf) and Matty Cash (unspecified) are injured.
Leon Bailey and Donyell Malen are in contention to start.
Richarlison (calf) joins a long list of injured Tottenham players including Guglielmo Vicario (ankle), Micky van de Ven (fitness), Destiny Udogie (hamstring), Cristian Romero (thigh), Radu Dragusin (knee), Wilson Odobert (hamstring), Dominic Solanke (knee), James Maddison (calf), Brennan Johnson (calf) and Timo Werner (thigh).
Mathys Tel, Lucas Bergvall and Mikey Moore could all be in line to start.
The stats
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Aston Villa have lost only two of 18 home games in all competitions this season.
Villa have scored in eight consecutive matches at Villa Park.
There have been at least three goals in the last four meetings between these teams.
Tottenham have scored in 17 successive visits to Villa Park.
Spurs have lost four of their last seven matches.
Tottenham are set to be without all three of their goalscorers from their 4-1 home win over Villa in November.
Prediction
While Tottenham are set to arrive at Villa Park without all three of the players who scored in their 4-1 home win over Villa, the Villans have their goalscorer from that match available and Morgan Rogers is capable of getting on the scoresheet again.
Rogers has relished playing in front of a home crowd this season, with his last seven goals all coming at Villa Park.
His hat-trick against Celtic in the Champions League last week followed strikes against West Ham, Brighton, Manchester City and Brentford there since his last away goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
With Jhon Duran having moved to Saudi Arabia and Ollie Watkins injured, Emery will be looking to Rogers and new signings Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio to lead his attack and Rogers looks the best bet to deliver until the new arrivals are fully integrated.
Villa are much stronger at home than away and their Molineux defeat was far from the first time they have disappointed in the first match after their Champions League appearances this season.
They can be fancied to progress against poor travellers Tottenham, but the goalscorer play is preferred to one on the match outcome.
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