ASTON VILLA are facing a punishing fixture congestion consisted of five games in just 14 days. That is after the Premier League rejected Villa's request to move next week's clash with Liverpool. The frustrated Villans are scheduled to host the Prem leaders on Wednesday at Villa Park. That game was originally pencilled down for March 15 but it now clashes with the Carabao Cup final weekend with the Reds facing Newcastle on the 16th at Wembley.
![[Aston Villa players looking dejected on the field.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/editorial-use-no-use-unauthorised-968410529_ebd7e9.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
With the Champions League Last 16 starting in the first week of March, Unai Emery's side wanted to push the Liverpool game back to later next month or later in the season. Villa’s argument was based on them having only one Premier League game next month at Brentford on March 8. However, Prem chiefs blocked that request to leave Emery and co facing a brutal fixture pile-up over the next two weeks. Villa are now set to play Ipswich on Saturday, Liverpool on Wednesday, Chelsea on February 22 and Crystal Palace on the 25th.
![[Unai Emery, Aston Villa manager.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/club-league-logos-live-services-968473267.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Emery's men will then host Cardiff in the fifth round of the FA Cup on February 28. Villa are competing on three fronts this season after an impressive campaign last term. The Midland giants are favourites to qualify to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. They also finished in the Champions League's top eight and made it straight to the Last 16. And Villa are targeting another top-four finish in the Premier League as they are currently eighth with six points separating them from fourth-placed Chelsea.
