The day was a shock to the system. Not necessarily in the result; after all, everyone going in knew what Crystal Palace would be capable of at any moment. Instead, the way that Aston Villa lost 3-0 left many feeling bewildered. For a team that just went toe-to-toe with PSG and outclassed Newcastle, losing like that at Wembley wasn't what supporters had on their minds entering Saturday's fixture.
To leave the FA Cup semi-final in humiliating fashion is not what fans have come to expect from Emery's side. Instead of questioning who should have started, it's safe to say that if the Villa bench didn't have as many options on the bench as others, the supporters would have felt fantastic about the starting XI against CPFC.
Villa had their chances. The penalty miss by Jean-Philippe Mateta gave AVFC an extending lifeline in the second half. At the end of the day, Oliver Glasner's side was more clinical when they needed to be. The strike by Ismaïla Sarr after Youri Tielemans was dispossessed drove the dagger in the heart of any chance of a comeback at that point.
Two general aspects are at play here. AVFC need to be able to play well and get a result away from Villa Park. The last two matches at the Etihad and now at Wembley showed that without that final push from the home supporters, the team can fall short.
Then the continued drought of not being able to lift silverware since the 1996 EFL Cup final is proving to be a lot. The players know what they are capable of. In the semi-final match alone, Ezri Konsa nearly finished a header, and Leon Bailey almost came off the bench to put one in.
Until Villa are able to overcome the final hurdles in the FA Cup, EFL Cup, Premier League, or Champions League, that aspect will remain over the club like a cloud.
Words from Villa boss following loss to Palace
Speaking with Villa TV after the match, Emery discussed part of what he assessed heading into the semi-final and what he had hoped to see during the match itself. He shared:
"But when some match like today, get us a little disappointed, frustrated, we had to dominate it. Had to dominate our frustration, our disappointed moment and keep going."
Noting that the sole focus now turns exclusively to the EPL, it's his words about dominating that should stand out from the Spaniard. In these types of matches, when everything is on the line, a side has to come out and control all aspects within the game. This is particularly true when searching for the trophy that has been elusive for a number of years.
Aston Villa needed to put this one out of hand early. Instead, the few moments that proved consequential then went to Palace. There are four more opportunities to make something of this season. Earning a Champions League qualification spot would be an accomplishment. Emery's men will need to be able to bounce back after a performance like that of Saturday's.