All the latest updates from the 2025/26 FA Cup third-round
Tottenham vs Aston Villa LIVE
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Alex Dakers|Sam Tabuteau
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Tottenham vs Aston Villa LIVE
The magical FA Cup continues this evening with an all-Premier League clash between Tottenham and Aston Villa. For Spurs, stuck in the bottom half of the league table and fighting to remain in the Champions League, this could well be the final realistic chance at silverware in a tumultuous debut campaign so far for manager Thomas Frank.
In high-flying Villa, though, the Lilywhites face a sizeable test to continue their quest. Unai Emery’s men are on a blistering run of form which has seen them climb to third in the top-flight, and they also come into today’s match having won six of their last eight games against this opponent.
A few key players will be missing from each squad through injury or suspension, and despite their contrasting recent fortunes both clubs will know that anything can happen in a win-or-go-home match. Follow all the action from this FA Cup hird round clash LIVE in Standard Sport’s dedicated match blog, featuring expert analysis and insight from Tottenham correspondent Sam Tabuteau at the ground.
Tottenham vs Aston Villa latest updates
Villa predicted line-up
In the injury-enforced absence of Emi Martinez, Marco Bizot will step in between the posts for Aston Villa.
Andres Garcia could deputise at right-back for Matty Cash, and the impressive Victor Lindelof - a great deadline day pick-up as a free agent - could do the same to allow Ezri Konsa a breather.
Pau Torres may partner Lindelof in the backline having returned to the bench during Villa’s midweek stalemate at Crystal Palace, and Unai Emery has two quality left-backs to choose from in Ian Maatsen and Lucas Digne.
Amadou Onana is injured but Villa have plenty of midfield options, and today it will likely be two of Boubacar Kamara, Lamare Bogarde, Youri Tielemans and John McGinn.
Donyell Malen may step in to lead the line and give Ollie Watkins a day off, but energiser bunny Morgan Rogers - hardly ever rested by Emery - could retain his starting spot.
Predicted Aston Villa XI (4-2-3-1): Bizot; Garcia, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen; Bogarde, Kamara; Sancho, Buendia, Rogers; Malen
Injured: Martinez, Onana, Barkley
Doubts: Mings
Unavailable: Guessand (AFCON)
Spurs predicted line-up
We’ll have confirmed team news for you all very shortly, but we’re expecting Thomas Frank to name as close to a full-strength team as possible today.
Cristian Romero will play no part for Tottenham today, though, and neither will the injured Mohammed Kudus, while there’s a decent chance Lucas Bergvall misses out alongside Rodrigo Bentancur.
Spurs captain Romero was on Friday handed a one-match suspension and fined £50,000 after admitting a Football Association (FA) charge that followed his reaction to a late sending off in the 2-1 defeat by Liverpool last month.
Kevin Danso will now be expected to partner Micky van de Ven at centre-back against Villa, with Radu Dragusin in reserve.
With Bentancur and likely Bergvall sidelined, Frank has yet more decisions to make in midfield.
Joao Palhinha came back into the starting lineup against Bournemouth and scored a sensational overhead kick to level the score in the second half.
He could be rewarded with another start against Villa, while Archie Gray could be brought back in after starting on the bench in midweek.
Frank switched up his attack against Andoni Iraola’s side, starting Randal Kolo Muani as the central striker.
The Frenchman was, however, ineffectual given the chance to impress in his favoured position and could make way for Richarlison, who nearly scored off the bench as Spurs rallied late on. Or, given the number of absentees, there may be room in the side for both men...
Predicted Tottenham XI (4-2-3-1): Kinsky; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Spence; Gray, Palhinha; Simons, Tel, Richarlison; Kolo Muani
Injured: Maddison, Kulusevski, Kudus, Bentancur
Doubts: Bergvall, Udogie, Solanke
Suspended: Romero
Unavailable: Bissouma, Sarr (AFCON)
Preview: Frank may need more than FA Cup magic to save his Tottenham job
Tottenham are in damage limitation mode heading into this weekend’s FA Cup third-round tie with Aston Villa, writes Sam Tabuteau.
Players are unhappy, fans are apathetic, and even Thomas Frank has admitted he is not enjoying the task of rebuilding Spurs in his image.
Antoine Semenyo’s stoppage-time winner for Bournemouth on Wednesday inflicted perhaps the most damaging defeat of Frank’s tenure, and the boos rang loud as he approached the away end at the Vitality Stadium.
Rising dissent among supporters is not going away, and the naivety of ‘cup-gate’ has only added to the tension. Whether intentional or not, the optics of being pictured holding an Arsenal-branded coffee cup could not have come at a worse time.
For much of his time in charge of Brentford, the FA Cup was of reduced importance. Now, though, with his job on the line, Frank is aware of what a first FA Cup triumph since 1991 could do for his reputation.
Keep reading Sam’s Spurs-focused preview here!
Tottenham manager Thomas Frank is under increasing pressure
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Why Tottenham are wearing special-edition kit today
Tottenham today begin their campaign to mark 125 years since they became the first, and to date only, non-league club to win the FA Cup.
To commemorate the anniversary, Spurs’ first team will wear a special edition 1901 kit during this evening’s FA Cup third round tie against Aston Villa.
The shirt will feature a heritage crest and will appear in Lilywhite, with no player surnames featured on the back to reflect how the shirt would have looked in 1901.
The shirts will be auctioned via MatchWornShirt, with part of the proceeds donated to the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation.
Read more here!
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham vs Aston Villa match odds
Tottenham to win: 13/8
Aston Villa to win: 6/4
Draw: 12/5
Odds via Betfair (subject to change).
Head to head (h2h) history and results
Spurs have lost their last three matches in a row against Villa, and six of their last eight meetings.
The Londoners last lost four in a row against the same side in 1996.
Tottenham wins: 79
Aston Villa wins: 63
Draws: 36
Tottenham vs Aston Villa prediction
Until recently, Aston Villa had a poor record in the FA Cup. A run of seven consecutive third-round exits ended in 2024 with a fourth-round loss, before last season’s run to the semi-finals.
It remains to be seen how seriously Unai Emery takes the competition, given their superior chances of winning the Europa League and a push to finish in the Premier League top five.
But, no matter the team selection, Villa will be confident of getting a result against a team they have often got the better of recently.
Spurs are in disarray, and another defeat at home will surely spell the end of Frank’s time in charge.
Morale is through the floor and there is little confidence of the head coach being able to corral his troops to see off an impressive side.
Aston Villa to win, 2-0.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery
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Aston Villa early team news: Onana and Martinez out
Aston Villa remain without the influential Amadou Onana, who has a hamstring injury, but the form of Boubacar Kamara and Youri Tielemans means little has been lost from midfield.
Emi Martinez is out after the goalkeeper withdrew at half-time of Wednesday's 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace, but deputy Marco Bizot was expected to start here in any case.
Ian Maatsen will hope to start, along with Donyell Malen and Emi Buendia, with all three coming off the bench in midweek.
Tyrone Mings (hamstring) is edging towards a return, but is not expected to start in north London. Evann Guessand remains at AFCON and Ross Barkley is injured, but star duo Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins plus skipper John McGinn are all in contention.
Morgan Rogers (L) and Ollie Watkins (R)
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Tottenham early team news: Kudus out, Romero suspended, Bergvall major doubt
Spurs star Mohammed Kudus is set for an extended spell on the sidelines after picking up a quad injury against Sunderland, and Lucas Bergvall is expected to join him after coming off against Bournemouth.
Mathys Tel deserves to keep his spot on the left-hand side of the attack, but Randal Kolo Muani did little to suggest in the 3-2 loss in midweek that Richarlison should stay on the bench. Archie Gray will be pushing to return, potentially in place of the injured Rodrigo Bentancur (hamstring).
Kevin Danso and Radu Dragusin could each get a start in central defence, with captain Cristian Romero now serving a one-match ban and been fined £50,000 on Friday after admitting a Football Association (FA) charge relating to his reaction to being sent off late on against Liverpool last month.
The game is likely to come too soon for both Destiny Udogie and Dominic Solanke, with Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison still out. Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma are still away at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Spurs will be without influential playmaker Mohammed Kudus for several weeks
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Where to watch Tottenham vs Aston Villa
Other than following all the action right here with us, here are your viewing options for today’s match...
TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on both BBC One and TNT Sports 1.
Coverage starts on TNT Sports at 5pm, with the free-to-air coverage on the BBC beginning at 5.30pm.
Live stream: UK viewers can also catch the contest for free live online via the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website. TNT Sports subscribers can use the Discovery+ app and website.
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