The fixtures are coming thick and fast for Aston Villa, who travel to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
But first, Aston Villa will be looking to book their place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals for the first time in 12 years when they host Crystal Palace on Wednesday night.
Unai Emery will be desperate to win some silverware during his golden era at Villa Park and this competition perhaps represents their best opportunity to do so.
The Villans are unbeaten in 11 matches since slipping to defeat against Arsenal in August, and Emi Buendia will be chomping at the bit to help them extend that run to 12 at home to Palace.
Buendia scored in the last-round win over Wycombe Wanderers, with the Argentine since struggling to nail down a starting place due to the form of Morgan Rogers.
Following their clash against the Eagles, it’s a trip to top-four rivals Tottenham, who pose a difficult challenge.
- READ MORE: Aston Villa predicted lineup, team and injury news as Emi Buendia handed start vs Crystal Palace
David Coote named on VAR for Tottenham vs Aston Villa
The match day officials have now been named for each of the weekend’s 10 Premier League fixtures, with Craig Pawson officiating the clash between Tottenham and Villa with David Coote on VAR.
There is always a sense of apprehension when supporters discover who is operating VAR in their match and that is the case in this fixture.
Coote has been on VAR six times in a match involving Villa during his career and they’ve had an equal record, winning, drawing and losing twice.
That said, there has often been controversy surrounding his appointment after Coote made a ‘terrible’ decision in Villa’s goalless draw against Everton last season.
He should have sent off James Tarkowski for his reckless challenge on winger Moussa Diaby and been awarded a penalty as a result.
Supporters were left seething by this error and it isn’t the only time where Coote has angered those of a Villa persuasion.
Dean Smith was left angered by David Coote
Back in January 2021, Coote infuriated then-Villa boss Dean Smith after Man City scored a controversial opener in their 2-0 defeat at the Etihad.
Smith clashed with Coote – who was the fourth official on the day – over a Bernardo Silva goal he believed should have been ruled out for offside and ended up getting sent off.
“It was a farcical decision (to allow the first goal),” Smith said as per Birmingham Live. “Let’s be honest, he was 10 yards offside and he’s taken advantage of an offside position to tackle our player. It’s a pathetic rule and a pathetic decision in my view.
“I said to David Coote, ‘Have you got juggling balls for Christmas?’, and he (Jonathan Moss – referee) came over and gave me a yellow card. He said, ‘I was doing the laws of the game’, so I said ‘Maybe you should have done it earlier in the game’, so he upgraded it to a red.”
