Righto, Will Unwin’s match report is here:

Which means that’s it from me. But worry not, there’s plenty more to come – click below to join Tim de Lisle for Bournemouth v Man City in the last of our quarter-finals.

Otherwise, though, peace out.

Of course, these matches are absolutely colossal for the teams in them. City are seeking to redeem a disastrous season, while the others have either never won the Cup – Bournemouth and Palace – or not done so for decades – Forest and Villa. It’s a long time since the last four will have been this desperate to succeed, and it’s going to give us some extremely intense association football.

Villa will be pleased with that. Palace are a good side and a threat going forward, but they’re not as good as Forest, Bournemouth or City.

That concludes the draw, ties to be played the weekend of 26th and 27th of April.

Here comes the draw for the semis…

I didn’t actually think Rashford played all that well today. But on his game, he’s special, and the confidence he’ll get from scoring in a winning team will help him reach that level. I also think Asensio has the passing game to feed him – and what options those two are off the bench, assuming that’s where they start the big games. Villa have a serious squad going on.

“It’s a great feeling,” says Rashford, who explains that he’s been getting fitter and it’s always nice for a forward to score. They have to take it one game at a time and do their best in every game, but they’re very ambitious.

He missed a lot of football before joining Villa, but his body feels good, he’s injury-free, and enjoying himself.

Still going on…

We’ll have the semi-final draw for you shortly, so stick with me for that.

90+1 min Paul Robinson names Rashford his player of the match which makes sense as he’s scored twice, but Kamara, Asensio and Rogers were the standouts, in mine.

90+1 min We’ll have two additional minutes.

90 min Good work from McGinn, who holds on to the ball well on the by-line, lays back … and Ramsey opens body to pass wide of the far post.

89 min “And as for PSG,” he returns, “I’d say it’s absolutely critical we have Kamara and Onana available Kamara in particular is very necessary for Villa to produce their best, both in defence and building attacks. Am also hopeful Pau Torres will be back for Mings … Konsa has improved significantly in the time Mings has been out, and Torres’ reading of the game and generally higher ability to not have a brain-fade is something that means I have Konsa and Torres as my first-choice CB pair. It feels harsh on Mings, but this is a team that is moving forwards, and there are other players - like McGinn, most notably - who I think Villa are now slightly ‘better’ than… such is life, and football - it’s the most exciting and interesting Villa squad I’ve seen in decades, though, no doubt!”

Agree with pretty much all of that. I' really like Kamara and Onana will be necessary for clutter. Torrest doesn’t have the physicality you’d want in a centre-back, but Paris don’t have a proper centre-forward.

87 min “Villa are, indeed, a difficult fixture for any team,” says Benjamin Gravestock, “but as a Villa fan it’s irritating that semi-final opponents Palace and Forest and Bournemouth are all teams we seem to struggle against! Man City, I’m less worried about…!”

I’d expect Villa to beat Palace and Forest on quality, but Bournemouth looks a harder match-up because of how hard they run. That’d be a terrific final.

85 min Villa weren’t great in the first half but have done a really professional job in the second. They’ll fancy themselves against whoever they meet next, whether Palace, Forest, Bournemouth or Man City, and rightly so.

83 min Two more changes for Preston, Carroll and Mawene for Frokjaer-Jensen and Thordarson.

82 min Villa knock it around, then a lovely touch from Kamara, controlling a Martinez pass first time and beating his man at the same time, allows him to run on, taking a little pass around the corner from McGinn before sliding Watkins through! But looking to reverse a low finish into the bottom left, he’s just wide of the post.

81 min Two more Villa changes: Watkins and Garcia for Rashford and Cash.

80 min “Further to Hugo Molloy’s point on the power of penalties,” begins David Howell, “I think this is also the hidden vulnerability that the VAR debate overlooks. In a sport this low-scoring, individual decisions – that are often subjective and/or pedantic – have an outsized impact on the outcome when they decide whether or not to award either a goal or, as Hugo says, an 80%-odd chance of one. VAR can increase the accuracy of those decisions, but (partly but not only because of that subjectivity) never to 100%, and so this vulnerability is exposed but never truly fixed.”

The main thing, I think, is to get the laws properly and clearly drafted so that when we see something happen and are clear on the facts, we know what the call is likely to be.

78 min The week after next, of course, Villa meet PSG in the last eight of the Champions League. Most likely, they find the French champions too quick in midfield, but might also have the power to run through them enough times over 180 minutes to shade things.

77 min Changes for Preston: Evans and Lindsay for Meghoma and Riis.

76 min Onana, by the way, hasn’t played since the start of February. A fit and fresh him, eager to make up for lost time, is a very useful addition for a side still in the Champions League, still in the FA Cup, and still seeking a top-five finish. I’m not sure he’s got the passing to control the tempo of a game, but he’s a very handy option either from the start or off the bench.

74 min Rashford scored twice, but the other two have been Villa’s best players. Asensio is so clever and technical – his feel are, I’m reliably assured, made of velvet – while Rogers is so clever and physical. Villa are a difficult night for any team nowadays, not just the one 14-best in the Championship.

73 min Changes for Villa: off go Tielemans, Asensio and Rogers; on come Onana, McGinn and Malen.

70 min Excellent diag from Kamara– he’s played well today – to find Rashford, who finds an excellent disguised, blind-side ball in behind for Rogers, but Cornell is on top of him quickly – he’s got off his line really well today – and smothers then collects the eventuating shot.

69 min Rogers, by the way, has played well again. He’s not done anything brilliant, but his physicality and desire to commit defenders means he’s a handful in any game – at the very least.

68 min Whiteman blooters Rogers from behind and is booked.

67 min “That penalty is is a good example of why a regular foul in the box should simply be a free kick instead of an 80% chance of a goal, reckons Hugo Molloy. “Intentional (professional) foul, or offence that prevents a goalscoring opportunity anywhere on the pitch should be a penalty, everything else a free-kick. How exiting would direct free kicks be from 12yds versus penalties.”

I agree with all of this. All the guff about what is and isn’t a penalty misses the essential point: most of the offences that yield one are nowhere near severe enough to yield one.

65 min It’s a real shame for Preston, who’ve played well and were improving, to see the tie finished so mercilessly. But a little bit of quality, and composure from Asensio – what a loan he’s turned out to be – undid all their good work.

64 min Change for Preston, Osmajic – under investigation for allegedly racially abusing Hannibal Mejbri – replacing Keane.

57 min Rogers gets Cash going, but Meghoma is into him so quickly; Preston are properly in this match now, not sitting about hoping not to concede.

54 min “Say what you like about Emi Martínez (and plenty must have been said about him in Brazil this week),” returns Justin Kavanagh, “but is there any keeper you’d rather have for a penalty shootout, if this stays deadlocked?”

I wonder if Arsenal regret flogging him. I know David Raya is fine, but I know which of the two I’d prefer.

52 min Rogers strides through midfield, running away from Meghoma and burrowing infield. And, though, he gets lucky when a challenge allows him to feed Rashford, outside him, the pass is nicely weighted and timed, Rashford cutting inside and across his marker as Cornell rushes out, the finish, slotted to the side of him, lacking venom and catching the keeper’s thigh, allowing him to collect easily enough. If he’d put his laces through that, he might just’ve scored.

50 min Preston win a free-kick out o0n the right, 40 yards from goal with Brady to deliver. But rather than swing in a typically vicious cross, he goes short and infield, the move failing to create the opportunity to deliver a telling cross. I don’t know, on the one hand I applaud the creativity but, on the other, that was a chance to cause Villa problems, spurned in favour of over-complication. But the home side have started the second half well.

48 min Mings flights a long ball down the line, it scrapes a Preston player, goes behind, and the ref awards a corner. It goes short, a cross to the back post targets Rogers, and Brady uses his experience to ease the Villa man out of it. There are hopeful calls for a foul, but nothing doing.

46 min Villa, who I daresay will have heard Unai Emery speak some words during the break, get us under way again.

Half-time email: “Watching the Argentina v Brazil game the other night from the same stadium that gave us those unforgettable ticker-tape matches in the 1978 World Cup,” says Justin Kavanagh, “I couldn’t help notice that something was missing with the Albiceleste playing at home on such a pristine pitch. Maybe Preston can start a similar Cup tradition today with their bothersome balloons.”

Half-time entertainment:

45 min Keane is late on Konsa, who doesn’t much enjoy the experience, but the challenge was nowhere near violent enough to incur a second booking.

44 min “So far, Heckingbottom has out-tacticked Emery, a manager who rarely in-tactics his opposite number,” returns Kári Tulinius. The Preston defence is wide across the field, denying space on the wings, and though that means they don’t defend in depths, so far Villa’s central attackers haven’t figured out how to thread their way through the line.”

Preston play like this most weeks so know what they’re doing, but yup, any blanket defence is difficult to pierce. Villa need to get their one-touch stuff going because that’s one way they might get in behind: moving the ball too quickly for the defenders to adjust.

43 min We’ve played nearly a full half and the Champions League quarter-finalists have yet to create a chance.

41 min Mings punches out to Asensio, whose cross is cleared, so Villa build again, looking to stretch Preston, before Kamara snaps a decent ball into the box that’s got just oo much on it for Asensio.

39 min “Personally, I hope they don’t clear the balloons off the field,” writes Kári Tulinius, “because then they’d remove the one interesting aspect of the game.”

They’re all gone now, so I’m afraid we’ve no choice but to focus on the football. Pah etc.

38 min This time it’s Rashford with it – Phil Jones must be unavailable – the cross driven into the middle of the six-yard box, but it’s behind Konsa who can only contort to head high.

36 min This one goes short to the near post, but Preston are wise to the ruse and clear easily enough. They’re growing in confidence but, as I type, Brady concedes yet another corner, Vill’a seventh (7th) of the half.

36 min Cash clips down the line and over the top, setting Rogers away, but Meghoma does really well to get back at him, for cost of another corner.

35 min It was a really good ball in from Brady, and I’m certain Preston will look to find him at every opportunity; perhaps they might load up on the back post even more heavily, because this looks their likeliest route to goal.

33 min A poor pass from Ramsey allows Preston to counter, Frokjaer moving through midfield and when the ball is again spread to Brady, he looks for the near post … but Mings heads away.

32 min Cash finds space down the right and crosses low, Rashford darting across to the front post, but Gibson defends well, then Whiteman concedes a corner which yields another, and again, Preston get the ball away.

30 min Better from Preston, Brady stepping infield and crossing towards the back post as expected. And though Martinez claws away acrobatically, when Frokjaer nods back across, Thodarson dashes in front of Keane and he’s got a clear sight of goal … but can’t get enough on the ball, heading weakly wide.

29 min …and Rashford tries the knuckle ball, but it hits Miongs and Preston clear.

28 min A quiet period, Preston shutting Villa down nicely, but when Rogers flicks a pass through midfield for Tielemans, Keane beings him down and is booked. Free-kick villa, 30 yards out, dead centre…

26 min “Do you think Jacob Ramsey can work his way into Tuchel’s squad?” wonders Gary Stover.

Er, perhaps. I’m not sure I see the quality of a regular, given how intense the competition is, but I’d not be surprised to see him a cap or two

24 min Thordarson works the ball out of defence nicely and though Brady’s pass into midfield is behind Jakobsen, Preston reset, clear a long ball, and attack down the right … before Frokjaer fouls Konsa.

23 min Stuart McCall is one of the Preston coaches, and of course he and the Cup have form:

21 min But it’s Digne going at it from the other side, swinging over the wall and over the bar. Waste.

20 min Digne into Ramsey who collects on the stretch via excellent first touch and slides by Gibson … who fouls him. Free-kick Villa, 25 yards out, left of centre and Rashford behind it..

19 min Rogers runs at Gibson, turning this way and that, but with the defender’s blood already fully twisted he tries once more when he has no need to and is robbed.

17 min “I can’t believe they havn’t been cleared,” says Dave Estherby of the balloons. “Sounds a bit silly but you can imagine the whinging if there’s an offside confusion between the ball and a white balloon or if either goalkeeper suffers a Pepe Reina style mishap…”

I promise I will cope with the whinging if we have so glorious an eternal moment bestowed upon us.

15 min Preston are really struggling to get out, but have yet to concede a proper chance. And the home fans want a free-kick when Meghoma is yanked back by Cash, but the ref disagrees.

14 min The corner is half-cleared at the front post, then Asensio spills a lush cross to the back post, but Konsa doesn’t get enough on his flick-header.

13 min Rigers feeds a ball forward to Rashford, now on the right, and his cross is blocked behind;pPressure on Preston is building.

12 min Heckingbottom will be broadly satisfied with his team’s start. Preston haven’t threatened, but nor have they really been threatened.

11 min Villa go short, the cross almost makes its way to Asensio at the back post, but Preston clear before it can.

10 min Fine long diag from Mings, driven for Ramsey at inside-right, and his cross, looking for Rashford, is kicked behind for a corner.

10 min Rashford goes over the wall, but straight at the keeper.

8 min Lots of the balloons released when the teams came out are still on the pitch, especially on the edge of the Preston box, and when Ramsey drives towards the box, Thordarson brings him down. Free-kick Vill, 25 yards out, to the left of the D.

7 min Villa flow nicely through midfield, Digne slipping Ramsey in behind, left side of the box, and his cross is well cleared by Gibson.

6 min Preston win a throw down the right, deep inside the Villa half, and Riis will hurl long and flat … for Martinez to collect.

6 min Also going on:

4 min Ah, it’s Rashford through the middle. Villa need men around him, so he can touch-off and go.

2 min Poor pass from Digne and Keane seizes upon it, there ahead of Tielemans, well inside the box, and colliding with Tielemans; Preston want a penalty and Keane certainly plays for it, but the ref and VAR have no interest.

1 min With Brady patrolling the right flank, my sense is that Preston will be looking for inswinging crosses to the back post, to be attacked by Keane and Jakobsen. The former, twin brother of Michael, isn’t the quickest, but he’s got a lovely touch and is useful in the air.

1 min Aaaand away we go!

Emi Martínez had a busy international break. Of course he did.

As discussed earlier, Villa haven’t won the Cup since 1957. Here’s a little bit on that year’s final, from Joy of Six: fouls.

Our teams are tunnelled … and here they come!

We speak about them a lot less often, but Tielemans and Kamara are also doing a really good job for Villa, able to protect the back four and build attacks. Mings and Konsa aren’t the greatest defenders in the world, but Preston have a job to do in getting at them.

I’m looking forward to seeing Morgan Rogers today. I love his muscular intelligence and desire to gamble – he’s got work to do in terms of connective passing and general play contributions, but he could develop into a very serious performer.

Heckingbottom tells us that Woodman is out for the season with a nasty ankle injury. So it’s a great opportunity for Cornell and this is a day they must enjoy.

Emery, meanwhile, hopes his team returns from the break to play as well as before, and this is the first time he’s had the chance to take part in a quarter-final.

Worth noting: in the Preston goal, Dai Cornell plays as Freddie Woodman is injured. He’s only played twice this season, but will be eager for a Steve Cherry-style FA Cup fairytale.

Email! “Playing Asensio seems a bit harsh to me,” says Kieran McKintosh. “And considering PSG aren’t that far away, a bit questionable. My second-largest hope for today is a Rashford goal. It really has been a long time coming. My largest hope, though, has gotta be hoping someone, anyone, will sell me that Lego set I’ve wanted for years at a decent price. No, eBay, 604 pieces does NOT merit £140. Anyway, up the Villa and all that. I do have a soft spot for them after last season.”

This shark just trod on one of those 604 pieces.

Villa, meanwhile, will use Rashford and Ramsey to attack the outsides of the wide centre-backs, with Rogers making third-man runs into the box, with Asensio dropping off. This could well leave the Preston centre-backs with no one to mark, runners asked to target space in behind and get them turned. But I’d not be surprised to see Ollie Watkins introduced at some point, to offer a focal point.

Where is the game? Well, Preston’s intentions are plain: defend deep and limit space in the middle of the pitch, with the two centre-forwards looking to bother centre-backs more used to marking one man between then. They’ll also want to get at the space behind the Villa full-backs, who’ll be asked to supply much of their side’s attacking width.

It wasn’t the greatest of international breaks for Rashford. Cut a break by Thomas Tuchel, who quite rightly appreciates his quality – and, you’d have to imagine, his effectiveness of the bench – he was unable to make the most of a recall he didn’t really earn. But that was in a new team not yet settled into what the coach wants, whereas at Villa, he’ll know exactly what’s expected of him, and I’d not be at all surprised were he definitive this afternoon.

I’m assuming that Villa will be playing Rashford from the left, with Asensio through the middle. Really, the former ought by now to have matured into an effective centre-forward, but his hold-up play is no better now than when he broke through as a giggling teenager. Perhaps Emery has the smarts to coach him into the player he should be, but in the meantime, he’s far more effective coming off the flank.

As for Villa, Unai Emery leaves out Maatsen, McGinn and Watkins, with Digne, Ramsey and Asensio coming in.

Paul Heckingbottom makes five changes to the site that beat Portsmouth 2-1 two weeks ago. Out go the injured Woodman, the ineligible Kesler-Harden, the cup-tied Porteous, Lindsay and suspended Ledson; in come Cornell, Hughes, Storey, Brady and Whiteman.

I’m going to write these down, then we’ll consider how things might unfold.