Garde targets Villa FA Cup run

Aston Villa manager Remi Garde is targetting a long run in the FA Cup this season as his side prepare for their third-round replay. 

Villa could only manage a 1-1 draw away to Wycombe Wanderers earlier this month and will host the fourth-tier club in their replay on Tuesday. 

Tim Sherwood guided the club to the final last season – where they lost 4-0 to Arsenal – and Garde is hoping he can get the team just as far in 2016. 

“I would like to offer the best run in the competition to everyone at this club, especially after what they did last year,” he said. 

“I will do the best for the club and the players. Wycombe will have a good role, with nothing to lose, whereas we will have everything to lose.

“I would like to keep the momentum we are in currently but we have a very difficult game at West Brom at the weekend.

“I will see how the players have recovered from the last two games. The team was changed for these two games and I’m pleased with the way we played.

He added: “Maybe my message did not go through to everybody initially. But now I find people who understand my message.

“I’m very happy with the way we’ve played the last two games.

“They were not easy games because they were against teams who were full of confidence when we were not.

“But the way we played and the spirit we showed, the way we have gone through difficult periods within the games, pleased me a lot because it means that my players have a good attitude.”

Garde could recall captain Micah Richards, while Carlos Sanchez and Jack Grealish are available for selection.