Coventry City vs. Aston Villa team news: Frank Lampard, Unai Emery include nine summer signings for EFL Cup third round tie

By Darren Plant | 16 Sep 2026 19:05, Last updated: 16 Sep 2026 19:16

Unai Emery has continued to permission Alejandro Garnacho retired of his starting lineup for Aston Villa's EFL Cup 3rd circular necktie astatine Coventry City connected Wednesday night.

With an important Premier League fixture astatine Tottenham Hotspur to travel connected Saturday afternoon, the presumption was that the Chelsea loanee would yet get a accidental successful the archetypal XI.

Instead, the Argentine finds himself connected the substitutes' seat alongside Johan Manzambi, who made his debut arsenic a second-half replacement against Nottingham Forest past weekend.

However, centre-back Taylor Harwood-Bellis yet makes an quality successful defence, albeit the inclusion somewhat forced upon Emery owed to an wounded to Pau Torres.

Matteo Ruggeri besides features astatine left-back arsenic a replacement for Ian Maatsen, who was besides injured versus Forest.

Meanwhile, erstwhile Paris Saint-Germain starlet Ibrahim Mbaye is selected successful the last third, either arsenic a winger oregon a fig 10, with Tammy Abraham starring the line.

Lampard makes 9 Coventry changes for Aston Villa showdown

Meanwhile, Frank Lampard has made a full of 9 changes to his Coventry City broadside aft the 5-0 decision to Brighton & Hove Albion 3 days ago.

Defenders Aurele Amenda and Bobby Thomas are the lone players to clasp their places successful the team.

In the lack of the suspended Taiwo Awoniyi, Sidiki Cherif is fixed the accidental to impressment down the centre of the attack.

Stephen Mfuni - connected indebtedness from Manchester City - and ex-Toulouse subordinate Yann Gboho are besides included successful the Sky Blues lineup.

Coventry City XI: Bentley; Amenda, Thomas, Mfuni; Latibeaudiere, Yirenkyi, Torp, Sakamoto; Hamer, Gboho; Cherif

Subs: Bidwell, Grimes, Mason-Clark, Onyeka, Pinnock, Simms, Tchaouna, Thomas-Asante, Wilson

Aston Villa XI: Bizot; Wan-Bissaka, Harwood-Bellis, Mings, Ruggeri; Bogarde, Barkley; McGinn, Mbaye, Hemmings; Abraham

Subs: Buendia, Cash, Garnacho, Jackson, Kamara, Manzambi, Lindelof, Suzuki, Alysson