Dan Bardell believes Unai Emery won’t be “massively upset” if Aston Villa are eliminated from the EFL Cup, especially as he is expected to make significant changes for the upcoming match against Crystal Palace.
The two teams will meet at Villa Park on Wednesday, October 30, with both aiming to reach the quarter-finals of the competition.
With this match being Villa’s fourth in just 11 days, Emery is likely to rotate his squad and alter his starting XI significantly. Bardell, a journalist for Sky Sports and talkSPORT, thinks the manager will want to advance in the tournament but won’t be overly concerned if they don’t.
In an exclusive statement to Villa News, Bardell remarked, “There will be changes. I wouldn’t expect anyone bar one or two from Sunday’s match against Bournemouth to play against Palace. There might be a few on the bench, but I’m not sure that many will start.”
He noted that during Emery’s tenure, the focus hasn’t heavily been on domestic cups. However, winning the home game would secure a spot in the quarter-finals. “He’ll definitely use it as an opportunity to give people minutes. I’m sure he’d like to move forward in the competition, but if they don’t, he won’t be massively upset,” Bardell added.
Ahead of the match, Emery has several options to consider. Players like Boubacar Kamara and Tyrone Mings are nearing returns from injury, and young talents such as Ben Broggio and Kadan Young might also be in line for some playing time.
Regardless of the lineup changes, Villa supporters will be eager for a victory to progress in the EFL Cup. While it seems Emery won’t be overly affected by the outcome, the atmosphere at Villa Park will undoubtedly reflect the fans’ sentiments about the team’s performance.