The FA Cup semi-final draw has taken place, setting up some fantastic matches at Wembley Stadium!
Manchester City, last season`s finalists, remain in contention and will play against Nottingham Forest if they defeat Bournemouth tonight.
The other semi-final will be between Crystal Palace and Aston Villa.
Who is the favourite?
This year`s FA Cup is exceptionally open, perhaps more so than in recent years.
Manchester City is undoubtedly a strong team, but they have had a challenging season.
Dion Dublin himself admitted it`s too close to call, saying: “I can`t pick a favourite from these teams!”
Dates for your diary
For fans of the five remaining teams, the semi-finals are scheduled to be played over the weekend of April 26-27.
That`s just four weeks away.
Draw in full
- Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth/Man City
- Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa
Against No2
Aston Villa
No1 next
Crystal Palace….
Forest vs Bournemouth/Man City
Forest is number 3…
Their opponent will be either Bournemouth or Man City.
First out…
Number 4
Nottingham Forest
Reminder of the numbers
Here are the numbers again:
- Crystal Palace
- Aston Villa
- Bournemouth or Man City
- Nottingham Forest
Joe Hart, the 2011 winner, conducted the draw alongside Mark Chapman in the Deepdale studio.
Here we go, then…
The 2024-25 FA Cup semi-final draw is about to begin.
It promises to be exciting.
It will be quick too…
Hart pumping
Joe Hart appeared enthusiastic in the BBC studio at Deepdale as he prepared to participate in the draw.
“Big moment,” he described it.
Indeed, it is. Who will be the potential opponent for his former team Man City, assuming they overcome Bournemouth?
Numbers to look out for
Okay, there aren`t many numbers to keep in mind.
But it`s always useful to know them…
- Crystal Palace
- Aston Villa
- Bournemouth or Man City
- Nottingham Forest
Full-time at Preston
The game at Preston has ended.
Aston Villa secured a 3-0 victory and advanced to the semi-finals.
Unai Emery`s team is heading to Wembley…
Who else is in the draw?
Aston Villa is definitively through, winning 3-0 and progressing to the final four.
Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest secured their places in the draw yesterday.
Palace defeated Fulham 3-0 away, while Forest won against Brighton on penalties.
This sets the stage for Manchester City, who are playing Bournemouth away at 4:30pm today…
Preston 0-3 Aston Villa – latest
Following Rashford`s two goals, Jacob Ramsey increased the lead to 3-0 with 20 minutes remaining at Deepdale.
He scored with a solo run through the middle, with his shot going past the goalkeeper.
Ollie Watkins could have, and perhaps should have, scored at least once after entering as a late substitute.
Preston NE vs Aston Villa update – 0-2 – 69`
Aston Villa`s Premier League quality has shone through, thanks to two goals from Marcus Rashford, his first for the club since joining on loan.
Preston NE vs Aston Villa HT update
Preston, despite being 14th in the Championship, have been competitive against the Champions League quarter-finalists.
They even had a chance to lead at halftime, but Stefan Thordarson`s header went wide.
Aston Villa possessed the ball for much of the half but struggled to penetrate Preston`s well-organized defense.
Balloons on the pitch
Many balloons from the pre-match display for Preston North End vs Aston Villa are still on the field, causing some minor issues for the players.
Semi-final dates
The highly anticipated FA Cup semi-finals will be played on the weekend of April 26th and 27th.
Both matches will be held at Wembley Stadium.
Yates hail`s stunning Forest season
Ryan Yates is excited about the “special day” Nottingham Forest fans will experience at their semi-final next month.
The Forest captain commented: “It`s been an incredible season.”
“We haven`t achieved anything yet, but to take our fans to Wembley again – we know how memorable it was last time with promotion.”
“It will be a special day, and I`m delighted for the supporters. Overall, I believe we deserved it.”
What time is the draw?
The draw was expected to begin after the Preston North End vs Aston Villa match, which started at 1:30pm.
Assuming the game didn`t go to extra time and penalties, the draw`s approximate start time was around 3:45pm.
Glasner coy on Cup triumph
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner is hesitant to consider leading the Eagles to FA Cup victory.
He stated: “I don`t want to talk about winning the trophy because we can`t even win it in the next game,” said the Palace manager.
“It`s just the semi-finals, and in a cup competition, whether you lose in round one or the semi-final, you enter to win it.”
“But, yes, reaching the semi-finals is a significant achievement, especially in this setting, at Wembley, which is very English, and I appreciate it.”
FA Cup semi-final draw ball numbers
- Crystal Palace
- Preston or Aston Villa
- Bournemouth or Man City
- Nottingham Forest
How to watch the FA Cup semi-final draw
The semi-final draw was broadcast after the Preston vs Aston Villa game.
It was available for free on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Wembley awaits
The FA Cup season is nearing its final four teams.
Two teams have already qualified, and two more are about to join them.
The draw followed the conclusion of the match at Deepdale, where Aston Villa secured their place at Wembley.
Later today, either Manchester City or Bournemouth will join them.
Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest have already secured their Wembley spots.
This article covered the FA Cup semi-final draw.
Marcus Bellamy