Marco Asensio steals show to keep Aston Villa on trophy trail

 Unai Emery endured one of his lowest moments at Aston Villa in the FA Cup and this competition is now emerging as a top priority in the club’s unpredictable season.

In Emery’s first campaign he was stunned by Stevenage, then of League Two, while Villa have suffered other embarrassments in recent times against Swansea City, Peterborough United and Sheffield United.

Cardiff City will not be joining the list of lower-league giant-killers and Villa are in the quarter-finals for the first time in a decade, dreaming of making some history under their Basque manager.

Villa required a loan player from Paris St-Germain, Marco Asensio, to finally break the resistance of the Championship club with two goals in 12 minutes.

Job done for Emery and Villa, who will be desperate to repeat their achievement in 2015, when they reached a Wembley final.

With Villa’s recent results in the Premier League proving so maddening, this feels like a big opportunity.

Emery views the FA Cup as an avenue to continue the club’s European excursions, with his players preparing for the Champions League round-of-16 first leg next week against Club Brugge.

He said: “We are not considered favourites to win this trophy, but we are contenders. There is still Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle in the competition with us.

“The Cup is very important for the club, for the supporters and ourselves.  It is a way to win a trophy and to get into the Europa League, so we are happy to be in the quarter-finals.

“Now we focus on the Champions League. We are there and we have to enjoy it and compete.”

Asensio’s first goal was provided by fellow loanee Marcus Rashford, who recovered from a remarkable miss late in the first half to play his part in Villa’s progression.

Rashford has created more chances in all competitions (13) than any other player in the Premier League since his debut on February 9.

Asensio said: “Marcus is a good player. We have not been together so much, but I know what he wants to do, where he passes, I am very happy to have Marcus and all the team-mates. 

“We have a good level to try and do big things. We have to keep pushing, we are in the right way, so the next step is Champions League, and now the focus is there.”

While Asensio provided the killer contributions, Cardiff’s goalkeeper Ethan Horvath was the match’s outstanding performer with a series of fine saves. His club will now return to the pressure cooker of a relegation battle in the second tier.

Omer Riza, Cardiff’s manager, had even admitted he was unable to play his strongest team here with the league in mind.

Cardiff are only six points above the Championship’s relegation zone and face promotion chasers Burnley and Sunderland next week.

“Villa are in the Champions League and high up in the league, so I’m very proud of the players,” Riza said. “We gave a really good account of ourselves and hope we can take this into the Championship.

“Ethan was outstanding and his character and application was superb. We’ve had 6,000 fans here and I’m glad we could give them a bit of a cup run.”

It was largely backs-to-the-wall stuff for Cardiff, who wisely employed low-block defending, which was brilliant and desperate in equal measure. 

Shots were frequently blocked, while Cardiff pressed in high numbers to frustrate the home team. 

Villa had registered eight shots within the opening 22 minutes, with Ollie Watkins coming closest after poking the ball inches wide of the corner.

Rashford’s big miss came 10 minutes before half-time. Standing only four yards from goal, the cross from Leon Bailey towards him was travelling at pace, but it was still a simple finish.

With Horvath stranded, Rashford only had to find the unguarded net, but he somehow lifted the ball high over the bar.

The question was whether Cardiff could continue their resilience in the second half.

Pressure was relentless, and, with Villa attacking towards the towering Holte End, the breakthrough came in the 68th minute.

Rashford and Asensio combined for both goals against Chelsea last Saturday and produced a similar outcome here, with the Spain international drilling in from close range.

Asensio added a second 10 minutes from time, directing a shot into the corner, with Horvath unable to move from his line.

Villa are now in the last eight, and, with the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham already out, this could well be their year.