Aston Villa and Tottenham are ready to lock horns in an exciting FA Cup fourth-round clash at Villa Park this Sunday.

Ange Postecoglou’s beleaguered squad endured a humiliating 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Liverpool in the EFL Cup semi-final second leg on Thursday, while Aston Villa have had a full week to digest their 2-0 derby defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

As many Tottenham supporters feared, their slender 1-0 advantage from the first leg was never going to be enough. Any hopes Postecoglou had of delivering silverware in his second season suffered a crushing blow under the lights at Anfield in midweek. 

Now, Tottenham Hotspur shift their focus to the prestigious FA Cup, the world’s oldest football competition, as they prepare to face Aston Villa in a crucial fourth-round clash this weekend.

With the demands of Champions League football now in the mix, Aston Villa are finding it difficult to replicate the heights they reached in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign. Their struggles have left them languishing in eighth place, struggling to maintain their previous consistency.

The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times and the latest lineup news.

Aston Villa vs. Tottenham live stream, TV channel

Here’s how to watch this FA Cup match in the UK:

• TV channel: ITV1, STV
• Live stream: ITVX, STV Player

This game is available for live TV broadcast on ITV1 and STV in the UK. Streaming options are available on ITVX and STV Player.

What time does Aston Villa vs. Tottenham kick off?

This FA Cup clash takes place at the Villa Park in Birmingham, England and kicks off on Sunday, February 9 at 5:35 p.m. local time (GMT).

Aston Villa vs. Tottenham predicted lineups, team news

Tyrone Mings remains in limbo as he awaits further updates on his injury status, while Pau Torres is sidelined for at least another month. Matty Cash is also ruled out, adding to Villa’s defensive concerns.

Meanwhile, Ollie Watkins and Ross Barkley are both doubts, leaving Unai Emery with key selection headaches ahead of this crucial FA Cup clash.

Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio could mark their first appearances for Aston Villa, though Axel Disasi remains ineligible due to being cup-tied. Meanwhile, recent signings Andres Garcia and Donyell Malen, both handed immediate Premier League debuts, could be called upon once again.

Aston Villa predicted lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): Martinez (GK) —  Garcia, Konsa, Kamara, Digne —  Tielemans, McGinn — Malen, Rogers, Bailey —  Watkins.

Injured: Mings, Torres, Cash, Watkins (Questionable), Barkley
Suspended: None

Mathys Tel is expected to make his first start after featuring off the bench at Anfield, stepping in for the injured Richarlison, whose absence only adds to Spurs’ growing list of sidelined players.

He joins Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Radu Dragusin, Destiny Udogie, James Maddison, Brennan Johnson, Dominic Solanke, and Wilson Odobert on the sidelines, all of whom will miss this clash. However, there’s a chance that Timo Werner could recover from his thigh injury in time to feature.

Tottenham predicted lineup (4-3-3, right to left): Kinsky (GK) — Porro, Davies, Danso, Gray — Bentancur, Bergvall, Bissouma — Son, Tel, Kulusevski.

Injured: Johnson, Udogie, Vicario, Solanke, Werner, Odobert, Dragusin, van de Ven
Suspended: None

Aston Villa vs. Tottenham Prediction 

Aston Villa’s strong home form gives them the edge, while Tottenham’s inconsistent away performances and injury concerns could be a setback. Expect a competitive clash, but Villa’s attacking depth might see them edge out a narrow win. 

• Prediction: Aston Villa 2-1 Tottenham

FA Cup fixture schedule this week

All times GMT

Friday, February 7

• Manchester United vs. Leicester City (8:00 p.m.)

Saturday, February 8

• Leeds United vs. Millwall (12:15 p.m.)
• Leyton Orient vs. Manchester City (12:15 p.m.)
• Coventry City vs. Ipswich Town (3:00 p.m.)
• Everton vs. AFC Bournemouth (3:00 p.m.)
• Preston North End vs. Wycombe Wanderers (3:00 p.m.)
• Southampton vs. Burnley (3:00 p.m.)
• Stoke City vs. Cardiff City (3:00 p.m.)
• Wigan Athletic vs. Fulham (3:00 p.m.)
• Birmingham City vs. Newcastle United (5:45 p.m.)
• Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Chelsea (8:00 p.m.)

Sunday, February 9

• Blackburn Rovers vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (12:30 p.m.)
• Plymouth Argyle vs. Liverpool (3:00 p.m.)
• Aston Villa vs. Tottenham Hotspur (5:35 p.m.)