After posting four wins on the spin, Aston Villa begin their EFL Cup campaign on Tuesday evening, as they visit Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park. Drawn together in the League Cup for a third time, the hosts will hope to upset their top-flight visitors on this occasion, having shipped no fewer than 13 goals in two previous meetings.
After putting in what Unai Emery later described as their worst half of football since he arrived in Birmingham, Aston Villa managed to turn Saturday's Premier League clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers totally on its head during the second half. Following up a fightback win over Everton seven days earlier - not to mention an impressive midweek victory on their Champions League debut - Villa recovered from one goal down, with their revival sparked by an Ollie Watkins equaliser. Midlands rivals Wolves then crumbled, as Ezri Konsa and super-sub Jhon Duran completed the turnaround, moving Emery's men onto 12 points from a possible 15 in the Premier League.
Ahead of a weekend game against Ipswich Town - soon followed by a prestigious visit from Bayern Munich - Villa turn their attention to another cup competition, as they ultimately aim to end a long wait for silverware, having come up short in the Conference League semi-finals last season. Emery is sure to rotate his resources in midweek, after staying loyal to most of his starting XI so far, but the Villans' Basque boss always demands an intense approach regardless of the opponent.
Most recently winners in 1996, Aston Villa have been eliminated in the EFL Cup's third round for each of the last three seasons, but they have not exited at this stage to lower-league opposition since 2008, when Queens Park Rangers knocked them out.
Wycombe Wanderers will host Villa for the first time since a third-round tie in the 2016 FA Cup, when they pulled off a 1-1 draw at Adams Park before winning 2-0 in a replay at Villa Park. However, in the League Cup, they have suffered two crushing second-round defeats to the West Midlands club, in both 2003 (5-0) and two years later (8-3). Following wins over Northampton Town and Swansea City in previous rounds, the Chairboys have set up another encounter on Tuesday, in which they will hope to fare much better having just gone six games unbeaten.
Wycombe have reached round three for the third time since 2018 - the joint-most times of any club from outside England's top two tiers (level with Lincoln City) - but only once have they gone further. They memorably went all the way to the semi-finals in 2007, and Matt Bloomfield's team will dream of taking another step towards emulating that squad this year, following back-to-back League One wins over the past few days.
Villa's Rotation Strategy
Amid a packed schedule in several competitions, Aston Villa boss Unai Emery is set to make numerous changes to his starting XI for Tuesday's game. Villa captain John McGinn came off injured during the weekend win over Wolves, so the Scotland star should be among several men rested at Adams Park. After taking part in full training, long-term absentees Boubacar Kamara and Tyrone Mings may finally be recalled to the bench, but Matty Cash and Jaden Philogene are both sidelined.
Wycombe's Injury Woes
Luke Leahy and David Wheeler are close to returning for Wycombe, but West Ham United loanee Gideon Kodua recently joined Nathan Bishop, Sam Vokes, Brandon Hanlan and Ryan Tafazolli in the treatment room. Fred Onyedinma is also short of fitness. Matt Bloomfield may choose to switch up his attack, as pacy striker Bez Lubala returned from injury earlier this month and scored four goals in last week's 5-3 win over Brighton & Hove Albion Under-21s in the EFL Trophy - including a first-half hat-trick.
Potential Starting Lineups
Wycombe Wanderers possible starting lineup: Ravizzoli; Grimmer, Skura, Low, Harvie; Morley, Scowen; McCleary, Udoh, Humphreys; Lubala
Aston Villa possible starting lineup: Gauci; Nedeljkovic, Bogarde, Carlos, Maatsen; Barkley, Tielemans; Bailey, Buendia, Ramsey; Duran
The Underdog's Chance
As Aston Villa have other priorities - and are likely to field an unfamiliar team - Wycombe could pose a threat to their Premier League opponents for a while, before succumbing to defeat by the final whistle. Villa's squad does not run too deep, but it contains some promising players, so they should eventually grind out a win and reach the third round.
A Look Back at the Match
Aston Villa emerged victorious from their trip to Adams Park, defeating Wycombe Wanderers 1-0. Emiliano Buendía, who was handed a rare start by Emery, scored the only goal of the game with a header in the first half. The match was a tight affair, with Wycombe putting up a strong challenge despite facing a Premier League opponent. Villa, however, held on to secure their passage to the next round.
The Key Takeaways
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Emery's Rotation Strategy: Despite winning their previous four matches, Emery opted to make significant changes to his starting XI for the game against Wycombe. This move demonstrates Emery's willingness to prioritize the Premier League and Champions League fixtures while still maintaining a competitive edge in the Carabao Cup.
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Wycombe's Unwavering Spirit: Wycombe, despite being a lower league team, presented a formidable challenge to Aston Villa. Their impressive run of form in recent games was evident on the pitch as they gave Villa a tough fight. Despite the loss, Wycombe showed their ability to compete with top-tier teams, something that will serve them well in their league campaign.
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Buendía's Return: The Argentine midfielder, after a long injury layoff, was given a chance to prove his worth and did so with aplomb. Buendía's goal was the difference in the match, highlighting his importance to the Villa squad and his readiness to contribute in the season ahead.
The Future
While Aston Villa will now shift their focus back to the Premier League, the experience of this Carabao Cup match will undoubtedly be valuable. The game against Wycombe served as a good test of Emery's squad depth and a platform for players like Buendía to stake their claim for more regular playing time. For Wycombe, the game offered a taste of the quality that exists in the Premier League, and they will be looking to carry their positive momentum into their upcoming league matches.
