Coventry City vs Aston Villa - prediction, team news, lineups

With some sides struggling severely successful the league, Coventry City and Aston Villa indispensable effort to physique immoderate momentum connected Wednesday, erstwhile they clash successful circular 3 of the EFL Cup.

The Midlands rivals volition conscionable for the archetypal clip since May 2001, erstwhile Villa's triumph relegated the Sky Blues from England's apical flight.

Match preview

Since that fateful day, it has been a agelong roadworthy backmost to the elite level for Coventry, who yet returned to the Premier League arsenic wide winners of the Championship past season.

However, that joyousness has been quelled by a dismal commencement to the existent campaign, arsenic the Sky Blues person yet to assertion a constituent oregon adjacent score, portion conceding 10 goals.

Five were shipped against Brighton & Hove Albion past week, aft Taiwo Awoniyi's reddish paper near the hosts 1 antheral abbreviated for astir of the 2nd half.

Frank Lampard's squad person go the Coventry broadside since 1919 to commencement a league play with 4 consecutive losses, and their lone occurrence this word has travel successful the EFL Cup.

Awoniyi scored the opener arsenic they bushed Plymouth Argyle 4-2 successful the 2nd round, mounting up Wednesday's necktie with determination rivals Aston Villa. 

The brace person ne'er antecedently met successful the EFL Cup, and their astir caller knockout necktie saw the Sky Blues triumph 1-0 successful the FA Cup 5th circular immoderate 28 years ago.

League Cup winners successful 1994 and again 2 years later, Villa yet ended their hold for much large silverware past word by lifting the Europa League trophy.

Since then, though, not overmuch has gone close for Unai Emery's men, with a turbulent transportation model being followed by a sluggish commencement to home football.

The Villans person lone enactment 1 Premier League constituent connected the board, pursuing Saturday's 2-1 location nonaccomplishment to Nottingham Forest.

Having antecedently dug retired a 3-2 triumph distant to Club Brugge successful the Champions League, they were sunk by a precocious Igor Jesus onslaught astatine Villa Park, aft Alysson had raised hopes by hauling them level.

Now, the Birmingham nine indispensable marque a abbreviated travel to Coventry, aiming to advancement past the 3rd circular of the EFL Cup for conscionable a 2nd clip successful six seasons.

Despite a beardown European grounds nether Emery - and their quality successful the 2025 FA Cup semi-finals - Villa's caller runs successful this contention person been chopped short.

Coventry City EFL Cup form:

Coventry City signifier (all competitions):

Aston Villa signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Coventry are inactive missing Haji Wright, Josh Eccles, Luke Woolfenden and Kaine Kesler-Hayden - the second of whom came done Aston Villa's academy - but summertime signing Sidiki Cherif has conscionable made his archetypal appearance.

After a cameo successful the mauling by Brighton, the Guinea striker tin vie for enactment with Awoniyi, whose Premier League suspension kicks successful this weekend.

It remains to beryllium seen whether Elis Simms is acceptable capable to play immoderate part, having failed to marque the squad connected Sunday.

Meanwhile, Villa are without Leon Goretzka, Brian Madjo and semipermanent absentee Amadou Onana; the beingness of Matty Cash, Ian Maatsen and Pau Torres is besides successful immoderate doubt.

More positively, Johan Manzambi returned to enactment against Nottingham Forest, and Joao Gomes is disposable aft serving the last crippled of his three-match league ban.

Amid a engaged docket crossed aggregate competitions, Emery is acceptable to rotate his squad, truthful caller recruits specified arsenic Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Ibrahim Mbaye could marque their archetypal start.

Coventry City imaginable starting lineup:

Bentley; Latibeaudiere, Thomas, Mfuni; Van Ewijk, Grimes, Torp, Dasilva; Tchaouna, Hamer; Cherif

Aston Villa imaginable starting lineup:

Bizot; Wan-Bissaka, Harwood-Bellis, Mings, Ruggeri; Bogarde, Kamara; McGinn, Buendia, Mbaye; Abraham

We say: Coventry City 1-2 Aston Villa

Piling much misery connected mediocre Coventry, this conflict of aboriginal Premier League strugglers should spell successful Aston Villa's favour, arsenic respective talented newcomers volition beryllium keen to impress.

The hosts whitethorn person small involvement successful cupful competitions this season, arsenic their combat for top-flight endurance looks acceptable to beryllium some agelong and hard. 

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.