Aston Villa will face League Two side Crewe Alexandra in the second round of the EFL Cup after they shocked Championship giants Middlesbrough on Tuesday evening.
It will be Dean Smith’s first taste of League Cup action as Aston Villa boss, and he’ll be looking to guide his boyhood side to a sixth triumph in the competition.
Smith will be hoping to have six Premier League points on the board before the tie with Crewe, with home fixtures against Bournemouth and Everton set to take place before Villa’s cup meeting at the end of August.
Smith, who brought in 12 summer signings, could well follow the tradition of Premier League managers in the past by ringing the changes in the first domestic cup competition of the season.
So here at Read Aston Villa, we’ve decided to have a look at five Villa players who could seriously stake their claim to the boss with a potential series of impressive performances in the EFL Cup.
