Preston North End 0-3 Aston Villa

Aston Villa booked their place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup with a commanding 3-0 victory over Preston North End in the last eight on Sunday afternoon. 

A second-half brace from Marcus Rashford, his first two goals for the club, closely followed by a fine run and strike from Jacob Ramsey, rounded off a resounding afternoon for Unai Emery's side on the road at Deepdale, who secured their spot at Wembley in style. 

Villa will face Crystal Palace under the arch in the last four next month, following the conclusion of the draw after full-time, having made a successful return to affairs following the international break, and racking up a fifth-straight win in all competitions. 

Villa were pushed back from the first whistle against the Championship outfit, who made a fast start at Deepdale, roared on by a buoyant home crowd watching their side compete in an FA Cup quarter-final tie for the first time since 1966. 

But Emery's men quickly accustomed themselves to the pace of the game, and began controlling the ball and turning the screw. Rashford had the Villans' first sighter, but could only direct a free-kick from distance into the arms of goalkeeper Dai Cornell. 

Ramsey was causing issues for the Preston backline, picking the ball up in pockets and driving at the defence. The fouls he continued to draw on the edge of the area created further shooting opportunities for Rashford and Lucas Digne, though neither could trouble Cornell. 

It could be argued the best chance of a largely uneventful opening period fell the way of Paul Heckingbottom's side on the half-hour mark. Emi Martínez, captaining the side on his 200th Villa appearance, clawed away the initial cross in, though the ball was recycled and Stefán Thórdarson could only head wide, as a goalless first half was brought to its conclusion. 

The second 45 began, and Villa found another gear, putting their hosts on the back foot in search of the opening goal. Within 10 minutes of the restart, Morgan Rogers had burst through the middle and teed up Rashford who looked to poke beyond Cornell, though the home stopper again stood firm and was there to thwart him.

But Rashford and the visitors couldn’t be kept out for much longer, and within 10 minutes of that chance going begging, they were two goals to the good.

First, shortly before the hour mark, they had their breakthrough. Ramsey did well to pick out the run of Digne on the left, and he pulled back expertly to find the run of the onrushing Rashford in the box, who made no mistake from 12 yards out to send over five-and-a-half-thousand travelling Villans into raptures behind the opposite goal.

Emery’s charges had found their groove, and should have doubled their advantage on 60 minutes. Rashford did well to dummy from a tight angle and pull back for Ramsey, though neither he nor Rogers could convert from close range, with Preston players camped on the goalline.

However, seconds later, the away side were given a golden opportunity to establish daylight between they and their hosts, as Rogers was stood on inside the area by Andrew Hughes, and referee Chris Kavanagh pointed to the spot. Rashford coolly sent Cornell the wrong way, and Villa had their second.

The Villans had done the hard part, but wanted more, and their third goal arrived in emphatic fashion 19 minutes from time, as Ramsey deservedly got himself on the scoresheet.

Taking Digne’s pass deep inside Preston’s half, the winger turned and drove menacingly at the home defence, jinking past white shirts before arriving at the edge of the box and sending an unstoppable effort into the bottom corner with aplomb.

The third allowed Emery to shuffle his pack, enabling Rogers, Marco Asensio and Youri Tielemans to take a breather, and introducing Donyell Malen, John McGinn and Amadou Onana – the latter making his first appearance since the first day of February.

And the away side seemed content to see out the remainder of the affair, moving the ball around North End with ease as the travelling Villa supporters could see the Wembley arch edging nearer.

Ollie Watkins and Andrés García were introduced 10 minutes from time, and the England forward might have scored with his first tough within seconds of entering the action, but could only glance a header from a free-kick wide, before turning the wrong side of the post moments later when one on one with Cornell.

The fourth goal may have proved illusive, but it mattered little. Villa’s second-half showing had blown the Lilywhites away, and Kavanagh’s whistle sounded for the final time to confirm a comfortable 3-0 triumph.

The visiting players were serenaded by the adorning away end, who will watch their side play an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium in April, for the first time in 10 years.