Villa v Liverpool: The key FA Cup stats

The Reds have won eight of their last nine FA Cup semi-finals and each of the last five since losing to Crystal Palace at Villa Park in 1990.

This is Liverpool's second semi-final at the 'new' Wembley. Three years ago they came from behind to beat Everton 2-1 with goals from Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll.

If Liverpool win they will reach their 15th FA Cup final - only Arsenal, who reached their 19th by beating Reading on Saturday - and Manchester United, with 18, have appeared in more.

In 1992 Liverpool beat Villa on the way to winning the Cup with a Michael Thomas goal settling the quarter-final tie at Anfield.

This is the first time Liverpool have reached this stage of the FA Cup by winning all four previous rounds away from home.

The teams have one win each in Premier League meetings this season. Gabriel Agbonlahor scored the only goal of the clash at Anfield in September while Liverpool won 2-0 at Villa Park in January with both Fabio Borini and substitute Rickie Lambert on the mark.

Steven Gerrard has scored 13 times against Villa in 26 appearances. Only Robbie Fowler, with 14, has ever scored more for the club against today's opponents.

Gerrard's next goal will see him move into outright fifth place on the club's all-time goalscorers list, overtaking Fowler's tally of 183.

No outfield player has played more minutes for Liverpool in the FA Cup this season than Philippe Coutinho, with 529.

Brendan Rodgers' last visit to Wembley as a manager saw his Swansea team win the Championship play-off final in 2011. Joe Allen and Borini were in the Swans team, as was Villa's Scott Sinclair, who scored a hat-trick, including two penalties.

The Reds have a 100 per cent record in penalty shootouts in the FA Cup winning all three - Portsmouth (1992), Birmingham (1995) and West Ham in the final in 2006.

They have won 12 of 15 shoot-outs in their history and have already faced two this season, in the League Cup against Middlesbrough - which they won - and at Besiktas, in a Europa League defeat.

Villa have lifted the FA Cup seven times - the same as Liverpool - but not since 1957, when they defeated Manchester United 2-1.

Villa's only FA Cup win over Liverpool came in 1897. They won 3-0 at Bramall Lane in the last four and went on to lift the trophy, defeating Everton in the final.

Their last semi-final came in 2010 when they lost 3-0 to Chelsea on this ground. Only Agbonlahor from the team that day remains at Villa Park.

This is the first time Villa have played away from Villa Park in the FA Cup this season.

Joe Cole scored five goals in 42 appearances during his three-year stay at Anfield, though he never appeared for the Reds in this competition. The former England midfielder played against Villa at this stage of the cup for Chelsea in 2010.

Christian Benteke has scored eight goals in his last six games after netting just three in his previous 21. He has scored all of his team's last six goals.

Tim Sherwood will take charge of Villa for the 11th time today. He has recorded five wins in the opening 10 games in charge.

Villa have not scored in any of their previous five FA Cup semi-finals. The last was scored by Billy Myerscough in a 1-0 replay win over West Bromwich Albion at St Andrew's in 1957.

They have scored 13 goals in the last seven games after netting 13 times in the previous 19 matches.