Just in time perhaps Wolves have started to put together the sort of peformances which might keep them in the Premier League for another season. Having held Aston Villa 1-1 at Molineux in October, Mick McCarthy’s side can be expected to prove obdurate opponents at Villa Park. Villa needed Tuesday’s win at Wigan to keep up their pursuit of fourth place but anything less than a win would revive doubts about the ability of Martin O’Neill’s side to stay the course. One goal is likely to settle it either way but a draw cannot be ruled out. David Lacey

Venue Villa Park, Saturday 12.45pm

Tickets £19-43 (0800 612 0970)

Last season n/a

Referee M Clattenburg

This season’s matches 23 Y65, R5, 3.04 cards per game

Odds Aston Villa 4-9 Wolves 17-2 Draw 7-2

Aston Villa

Subs from Guzan, L Young, Sidwell, Delfouneso, Delph, Heskey, Beye, Davies, Albrighton, Clark, Salifou

Doubtful Agbonlahor (groin)

Injured Reo-Coker (ankle, 27 Mar), Harewood (foot, Aug), Bouma (ankle, unknown)

Suspended None

Form guide WDWDDW

Disciplinary record Y48 R2

Leading scorer Agbonlahor 11

Wolves

Subs from Hennessey, Keogh, Vokes, Milijas, Elokobi, Edwards, Ebanks-Blake, Mancienne, Iwelumo, Stearman, Halford, Mujangi Bia, Surman, Castillo

Doubtful Edwards (ankle)

Injured Kightly (knee, 27 Mar), Murray (knee, unknown)

Suspended None

Form guide WLLLWL

Disciplinary record Y56 R3

Leading scorer Doyle 6

Match pointers

• Aston Villa are unbeaten in their last 15 matches with Wolves in all competitions dating back to March 1980

• Only Portsmouth (30) have used more players than Wolves this season (29)

• Gabriel Agbonlahor scored eight goals in his first 16 league appearances this season but has added only three more in 12 subsequent outings

• Wolves have failed to score in seven of their last 11 Premier League matches

• James Milner’s last three top-flight goals have all been scored from outside the penalty area

Premier LeagueAston VillaWolverhampton Wanderersguardian.co.uk

Martin O’Neill may still be vexed by the injustice of Aston Villa’s Carling Cup final defeat last weekend but the route back to Wembley seems relatively clear. Villa have few injury problems for their trip to Madejski Stadium, where their strew of rapid inside-forwards should prove potent. “They’ve got good players in wide areas and up the pitch, but it doesn’t worry me,” said Reading’s manager, Brian McDermott. After defeating Liverpool in the fourth round and Sheffield Wednesday 5-0 in midweek, you can see why. James Callow

Venue Madejski Stadium, Sunday 1.45pm

Tickets £25 (0844 249 1871)

Previous meetings Reading wins 2 Aston Villa wins 12 Draws 2

Referee A Name

This season’s matches 0 Y00, R0, 0.00 cards per game

Odds Reading 7-2 Aston Villa 11-13 Draw 13-5

Reading

Subs from Hamer, Armstrong, Cissé, Tabb, Matejovsky, Long, Hunt, Mooney, Henry, Pearce, Bignall, Thorvaldsson

Doubtful None

Injured Karacan (hand, Apr)

Suspended McAnuff (second of three)

Unavailable Khizanishvili (Cup-tied)

Form guide (all comps) WWLWDW

Disciplinary record Y44 R4

Leading scorer Sigurdsson 10

Aston Villa

Subs from Guzan, L Young, Sidwell, Carew, Albrighton, Delfouneso, Davies, Delph, Salifou, Beye, Clark

Doubtful Dunne (calf)

Injured Reo-Coker (foot, Apr), Harewood (foot, Aug), Bouma (ankle, unknown)

Suspended None

Form guide (all comps) LWWDDD

Disciplinary record Y55 R2

Leading scorer Agbonlahor 14

Match pointers

• Reading have lost seven of their last eight meetings with Aston Villa in all competitions

• This is the ninth successive occasion that Aston Villa have been drawn away from home in an FA Cup sixth-round tie

• Reading have scored a last-minute goal in each of their last three meetings with Villa

• Martin O’Neill has failed to win any of his previous 12 games in the month of March while he has been manager of Villa

• This is the first time that Reading have reached the sixth round of the FA Cup since 1927

FA CupReadingAston Villaguardian.co.uk