Crystal Palace continued their positive momentum this season with a solid 2-1 victory over Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup, advancing to the quarter-finals. Just three days after igniting their Premier League campaign with a win against Tottenham, Palace built on that success with a well-deserved cup victory, courtesy of goals from Eberechi Eze and Daichi Kamada, which sandwiched a leveller from Villa’s Jhon Duran.
Palace capitalized on an off-form Villa side that made significant changes to their lineup, demonstrating their own depth and determination. With this win, Oliver Glasner’s team is now just two victories away from a potential trip to Wembley for the final. However, the evening was not without its drawbacks, as both Eze and Adam Wharton were forced to leave the pitch due to first-half injuries, raising concerns about their fitness moving forward.
Aston Villa’s manager, Unai Emery, had previously indicated that the Carabao Cup was not a priority for his squad, and his team selection reflected that. Key players such as Ollie Watkins, Emiliano Martinez, Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers, Amadou Onana, and Ross Barkley were absent from the matchday squad entirely. This left Villa lacking the attacking options needed to stage a comeback after falling behind to Kamada’s opening goal. As a result, they exited the competition with their focus now shifting to more significant challenges ahead, including a weekend trip to Tottenham and a Champions League match against Club Brugge.
