Bolton Wanderers, who have started their League One campaign brightly, will look to cause an EFL Cup upset when they host Aston Villa at the University of Bolton Stadium on Tuesday night with kickoff at 9:45 pm.
Aston Villa lost their second-ever away match on Saturday at the hands of Crystal Palace. After losing by one goal to Bournemouth in their Premier League opener, they had eked out a home win against Everton.
However, despite taking the lead through Ollie Watkins at Selhurst Park, they were ultimately rolled over by a confident home side. Under increasing pressure from a restless fanbase and having lost 14 of 30 matches in charge since succeeding Dean Smith, manager Steven Gerrard now turns to cup competition where he is likely to blood some lesser-used fringe players.
Bolton Wanderers will look to bounce back immediately after suffering their first league loss since March, in a 2-0 home defeat at the weekend.
Seen off by an impressive Sheffield Wednesday side on Saturday afternoon, Wanderers conceded twice in two first-half minutes and then failed to break through as they sought a way back into the game after halftime.
Nonetheless, they had previously gone 14 games without being beaten, pre-season friendlies aside – including a 5-1 thrashing of Salford in the EFL Cup first round.
Bolton vs. Aston Villa Head to Head
Both sides have eight games against each other, with the hosts taking one win while the visitors with five wins. Here is a look at their previous encounters:
Home
- Bolton 0-2 Sheffield Wednesday
- Bolton 1-0 Morecambe
- Port Vale 0-0 Bolton
- Bolton 5-1 Salford City
Away
- Crystal Palace 3-1 Aston Villa
- Aston Villa 2-1 Everton
- Bournemouth 2-0 Aston Villa
- Rennes 1-2 Aston Villa
Bolton Team News
Bolton welcomes captain Ricardo Santos and striker Dion Charles back from suspension, with both players expected to be involved again when the team hosts Aston Villa. Midfielder George Thomason returns from a three-game ban, but summer signing Eoin Toal is still unavailable after returning to training following an injury.
Aston Villa Team News
Steven Gerrard is likely to rest established starters Ashley Young and Douglas Luiz when Liverpool host Norwich City in the Premier League on Wednesday, with opportunities for backup goalkeeper Robin Olsen and French midfielder Morgan Sanson. Calum Chambers, Ezri Konsa, and Tyrone Mings will battle for a starting place in central defense.
Prediction and Odds
Although Aston Villa started the season with a string of defeats, their top-level experience should prevent them from being turned over by a newly promoted side.
- Away Win
- Goals Over 2.5
- Both Teams to Score
