Ah…the promised land of midweek banana-skin Cup ties.
Villa travel to Luton looking for a first win of the season and to avoid any more embarrassment than already endured this calendar year.
Its a simple case of needing to do a professional job. This is something we are desperately poor at generakly but us something which Di Matteo needs to rekindle amongst the squad urgently.
We need to be improved in midfield and certainly more clinical up front on the weekends showing. A trip to League Two side Luton offers opportunity as much as it does risk.
Luton will likely be fearless of a Villa side severely lacking in confidence & recent history against lower league sides would provide obvious hope.
Villa succumbed to a poorly conceded late goal against Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday, whilst our hosts won comfortably 3-0.
So much is unknown in terms of our best 11, but anything other than a win in normal time would only harbour concern. The competition cannot be the priority, but, it shouldn’t be a hindrance or insurnountable either.
A win would not only progress us within the Cup, but also provide some much needed lift ahead of the first home game of the campaign versus Rotherham this Saturday.
Prediction: 2-0 to Villa.