Carabao Cup Preview: Bolton v Aston Villa - Steven Gerrard set to go with strong side
Steven Gerrard has vowed to name a strong line-up when Villa seek Carabao Cup cheer at Bolton tonight.
The boss will use the second round tie to freshen things up and give those members of the squad who have seen limited game time this far an opportunity to impress.
But wholesale changes are not expected, with progress in the cup a key target for Villa’s season and Gerrard eager not to leave anything to chance against League One opposition.
The tie has been selected for live broadcast on Sky Sports and Gerrard said: “When the TV cameras come to games like this, you know what the outside world are after.
“We need to respect that and protect ourselves from that. We need to bounce back from the weekend’s defeat at Crystal Palace and put ourselves into the next round.
“That’s the next challenge for the players. We’ll treat this game with serious importance.”
Gerrard cited the importance of the cups in his unveiling as Dean Smith’s successor last November. The timing of this match, after Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Palace continued a largely underwhelming start to the Premier League season, would appear to offer a chance to restore some confidence.
Gerrard continued: “Everyone will want to play in this game, I’m sure they will, especially after the feeling of losing.
“We’ll dust ourselves down from the result and we will be strong, we’ll pick a strong team.
“There will be changes, of course, because the game is close enough for us to try and freshen it up and energise the squad and the team.
“But there won’t be wholesale changes and there won’t be, ‘Oh it’s the League Cup, let’s make all kinds of changes’. We’ll be strong.”
Ludwig Augustinsson could become the latest summer signing to debut, with fellow Sweden international Robin Olsen likely to be in goal.
Villa (4-3-1-2): Olsen, Young, Chambers, Konsa, Augustinsson, McGinn, Iroegbunam, Luiz, Coutinho, Archer, Bailey.
Big match prediction: Away win
