Following a bright start to their League One campaign, Bolton Wanderers aim to cause an EFL Cup upset on Tuesday night, as they host Aston Villa at the University of Bolton Stadium.
While the Trotters cruised past Salford City earlier this month to make the second round draw, five-time winners Villa enter the competition at this stage, on the back of a miserable weekend defeat.
Match preview
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Ending a week in which summer signing Diego Carlos suffered a season-ending injury, Aston Villa lost their second away fixture of the season on Saturday, at the hands of Crystal Palace.
Following a meek capitulation at Bournemouth in their Premier League opener, Steven Gerrard's men had eked out a home win against Everton, but despite taking the lead at Selhurst Park through Ollie Watkins, they were ultimately rolled over by a confident home side.
Under increasing pressure from a restless fanbase, and having lost 14 of 30 matches in charge since succeeding Dean Smith, Gerrard now turns to cup competition, where he is likely to blood some lesser-used fringe players.
With home games against West Ham and Manchester City sandwiching a trip to Arsenal during the coming week, Villa are in need of a morale-boosting display in one of the club's favourite competitions.
Though the last of their five League Cup wins came back in 1996 - just two years after their fourth - the Midlands side were also finalists in 2010 and 2020, and a similar run would be welcomed this season.
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After suffering their first league loss since March, in a 2-0 home defeat at the weekend, Bolton will be looking to bounce back immediately against potentially vulnerable top-flight opponents.
Seen off by an impressive Sheffield Wednesday side on Saturday afternoon, Wanderers conceded twice in two first-half minutes and then failed to break through as they sought a way back into the game after half time.
Nonetheless, they had previously gone 14 games without being beaten, pre-season friendlies aside - including a 5-1 thrashing of Salford in the EFL Cup first round.
Before making the long trip to Plymouth next weekend, Ian Evatt's men will welcome another big crowd to their Lancashire headquarters, as after 22,000 fans came through the gates to witness Wednesday end their win streak, most will return in hope of seeing a cup upset.
With eight points from five games leaving them seventh in the early League One standings, a charge for promotion is very much on the cards, and knocking out their former Premier League colleagues would only serve to feed that momentum.
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Team News
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Given such a packed Premier League schedule in the coming days, Steven Gerrard will surely rotate his resources in midweek, with Ashley Young and Douglas Luiz among several established names deprived of game time so far this season.
Opportunities could also be handed to back-up goalkeeper Robin Olsen and French midfielder Morgan Sanson, while there is likely to be a three-way tussle between Calum Chambers, Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings to start in central defence.
After impressing in the Championship last term, while on loan at Preston North End, Cameron Archer is in line for a rare first-team appearance, as Ollie Watkins will most likely be rested.
Bolton, meanwhile, welcomed captain Ricardo Santos and striker Dion Charles back from suspension and injury respectively on Saturday, and both are set to be involved again for the visit of Villa.
Midfielder George Thomason returns from a three-game ban, but Lloyd Isgrove, Josh Sheehan and Eoin Toal all miss out as they continue to recover from injury.
In Jon Dadi Bodvarsson's absence, due to a hamstring pull, a battle between Charles, Amadou Bakayoko, and Oladapo Afolayan is under way for places up front. Elias Kachunga - who scored the hosts' opening goal in the first round - is another contender for selection.
Bolton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Trafford; Johnston, Santos, Jones; Bradley, Morley, Williams, John; Dempsey; Kachunga, Bakayoko
Aston Villa possible starting lineup:
Olsson; Young, Chambers, Mings, Augustinsson; Luiz, Nakamba, Ramsey; Coutinho; Ings, Archer
We say: Bolton Wanderers 1-2 Aston Villa
Though they travel north on a down note, following a sluggish start to the season, it will be a much-changed Aston Villa XI that starts on Tuesday, and their top-level experience should prevent them from being turned over. Bolton rarely lose at home, but they now find themselves stepping up in class.
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Jonathan O'Shea
