Chance for Villa to change the mood as big games approach
- Published
The EFL Cup has usually come at the bottom of Aston Villa's priority list.
Not that it should be - it was the last major trophy they lifted in 1996 - but under Unai Emery they have only beaten Wycombe Wanderers in the competition.
Emery came to Villa just under three years ago declaring he wanted to end their trophy drought.
This year, Villa need the competition to kick-start their season after a four-game goalless start to the campaign leaves them second bottom of the Premier League.
One of those games was a 1-0 defeat at Brentford - where they travel to in the third round later on Tuesday.
Victory, however it comes, is paramount for Villa, who are in the stickiest period of Emery's reign - the Spaniard having taken them to the Conference League semi-finals and Champions League quarter-finals in previous seasons.
After facing the Bees, Villa travel to Sunderland on Saturday, before starting their Europa League campaign at home to Bologna next week.
Progress would set up a week which could change the mood at Villa.
It will be a much-changed team from the 0-0 draw at Everton on Saturday - expect deadline day arrivals Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho get a start.