Aston Villa v Liverpool, 19 April 2015

Score2-1 to Aston Villa
RefereeMichael Oliver
CompetitionFA Cup Semi-final
VenueWembley Stadium
Attendance85,416

View Aston Villa v Liverpool head to head

Aston Villa and Liverpool had met in a FA Cup Semi-final on three previous occasions. Villa won in 1897 (when they beat Everton in the Final) while Liverpool progressed in 1914 and 1996. This was their eighth meeting in the FA Cup. Villa won that first meeting in the 1897 Semi-final (3-0 at Bramall Lane) but had lost the subsequent six matches. Kick-off: 3.00pm

2 Aston Villa

Manager: Tim Sherwood

1 Liverpool

Manager: Brendan Rogers

Goals:

Christian Benteke 36 G
Fabian Delph 54 G

Goals:

Philippe Coutinho 30 G

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Shay Given
Defender Nathan Baker
Defender Kieran Richardson
Defender Ron Vlaar
Defender/Midfielder Leandro Bacuna
Defender/Midfielder Ashley R Westwood
Midfielder Tom Cleverley
Midfielder Fabian Delph
Midfielder Charles N'Zogbia
Midfielder/Forward Jack Grealish
Forward Christian Benteke

Starting lineup:

Simon Mignolet Goalkeeper
Dejan Lovren Defender
Alberto Moreno Defender
Martin Skrtel Defender
Emre Can Defender/Midfielder
Jordan Henderson Defender/Midfielder
Joe Allen Midfielder
Steven Gerrard Midfielder
Philippe Coutinho Midfielder/Forward
Lazar Markovic Midfielder/Forward
Raheem Sterling Midfielder/Forward

Substitutions:

Jores Okore for Nathan Baker 25
Scott Sinclair for Charles N'Zogbia 75
Joe Cole for Jack Grealish 84

Substitutions:

Mario Balotelli for Lazar Markovic 46
Glen Johnson for Joe Allen 78
Rickie Lambert for Alberto Moreno 90

Cards:

Fabian Delph 80 Y

Cards:

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Brad Guzan
Defender Matt Lowton
Defender Jores Okore
Midfielder Carles Gil
Midfielder Joe Cole
Midfielder/Forward Andi Weimann
Forward Scott Sinclair

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Brad Jones
Defender Javi Manquillo
Defender/Full back Glen Johnson
Defender/Midfielder Kolo Touré
Midfielder/Forward Rickie Lambert
Forward Mario Balotelli
Forward Fabio Borini

Comments:

Aston Villa's only appearance in a FA Cup Final since they last lifted the trophy in 1957 was in 2000 when they lost 1-0 to Chelsea in the last Final played at the old Wembley Stadium. This was the 21st time that Villa had reached the FA Cup Semi-finals. Only Manchester United (27), Arsenal (27), Everton (25) and Liverpool (24) had made it to the last four more often. Christian Benteke's goal was the first scored by an Aston Villa player in a FA Cup Semi-final since Billy Myerscough in a 1-0 replay win over West Bromwich Albion at St Andrew's in 1957. Villa had failed to score in their last five FA Cup Semi-final appearances. This was manager Tim Sherwood's tenth game in charge of the Villans. Fabian Delph's goal ended Christian Benteke's run of having scored Villa's last seven league and cup goals.

Comments:

Liverpool had lost just one of their previous nine FA Cup Semi-finals. They were attempting to reach their 15th Final. Only Arsenal, who reached their 19th by beating Reading the previos day, and Manchester United (18) will have appeared in more. Captain Steven Gerrard made his 42nd and last FA Cup appearance for the Reds before joining LA Galaxy at the end of the season. The FA Cup Final would take place on his 35th birthday. Steven scored 13 times against Villa in 27 appearances. Only Robbie Fowler (14) had scored more for the club against the Birmingham outfit. Christian Benteke's opener was the 400th goal Liverpool had conceded in their FA Cup history. Liverpool's last appearance in a FA Cup Final was in 2012 when they lost to Chelsea 2-1. They had won the Cup seven times, most recently in 2006.

2 Aston Villa

Manager: Tim Sherwood

Goals:

Christian Benteke 36 G
Fabian Delph 54 G

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Shay Given
Defender Nathan Baker
Defender Kieran Richardson
Defender Ron Vlaar
Defender/Midfielder Leandro Bacuna
Defender/Midfielder Ashley R Westwood
Midfielder Tom Cleverley
Midfielder Fabian Delph
Midfielder Charles N'Zogbia
Midfielder/Forward Jack Grealish
Forward Christian Benteke

Substitutions:

Jores Okore for Nathan Baker 25
Scott Sinclair for Charles N'Zogbia 75
Joe Cole for Jack Grealish 84

Cards:

Fabian Delph 80 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Brad Guzan
Defender Matt Lowton
Defender Jores Okore
Midfielder Carles Gil
Midfielder Joe Cole
Midfielder/Forward Andi Weimann
Forward Scott Sinclair

Comments:

Aston Villa's only appearance in a FA Cup Final since they last lifted the trophy in 1957 was in 2000 when they lost 1-0 to Chelsea in the last Final played at the old Wembley Stadium. This was the 21st time that Villa had reached the FA Cup Semi-finals. Only Manchester United (27), Arsenal (27), Everton (25) and Liverpool (24) had made it to the last four more often. Christian Benteke's goal was the first scored by an Aston Villa player in a FA Cup Semi-final since Billy Myerscough in a 1-0 replay win over West Bromwich Albion at St Andrew's in 1957. Villa had failed to score in their last five FA Cup Semi-final appearances. This was manager Tim Sherwood's tenth game in charge of the Villans. Fabian Delph's goal ended Christian Benteke's run of having scored Villa's last seven league and cup goals.

1 Liverpool

Manager: Brendan Rogers

Goals:

Philippe Coutinho 30 G

Starting lineup:

Simon Mignolet Goalkeeper
Dejan Lovren Defender
Alberto Moreno Defender
Martin Skrtel Defender
Emre Can Defender/Midfielder
Jordan Henderson Defender/Midfielder
Joe Allen Midfielder
Steven Gerrard Midfielder
Philippe Coutinho Midfielder/Forward
Lazar Markovic Midfielder/Forward
Raheem Sterling Midfielder/Forward

Substitutions:

Mario Balotelli for Lazar Markovic 46
Glen Johnson for Joe Allen 78
Rickie Lambert for Alberto Moreno 90

Cards:

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Brad Jones
Defender Javi Manquillo
Defender/Full back Glen Johnson
Defender/Midfielder Kolo Touré
Midfielder/Forward Rickie Lambert
Forward Mario Balotelli
Forward Fabio Borini

Comments:

Liverpool had lost just one of their previous nine FA Cup Semi-finals. They were attempting to reach their 15th Final. Only Arsenal, who reached their 19th by beating Reading the previos day, and Manchester United (18) will have appeared in more. Captain Steven Gerrard made his 42nd and last FA Cup appearance for the Reds before joining LA Galaxy at the end of the season. The FA Cup Final would take place on his 35th birthday. Steven scored 13 times against Villa in 27 appearances. Only Robbie Fowler (14) had scored more for the club against the Birmingham outfit. Christian Benteke's opener was the 400th goal Liverpool had conceded in their FA Cup history. Liverpool's last appearance in a FA Cup Final was in 2012 when they lost to Chelsea 2-1. They had won the Cup seven times, most recently in 2006.