The Carabao Cup quarter final between Aston Villa and Liverpool tonight could be interesting in many ways, mainly due to Liverpool’s first team being on the other side of the world as they prepare to play in the Club World Cup.
It’s an embarrassing one for the tournament’s organisers as a big team is essentially looking to play a reserve side in the latter stages of the competition, but it also means that Liverpool’s youngsters have nothing to lose and someone could make a name for themselves.
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We usually see Premier League sides field a weakened team in this competition as they focus on the league, but this now represents a genuine chance for Villa to win silverware this season, so it will be interesting to see how they line up.
According to a report from The Daily Mail, it looks like they will be without one of their best players for the clash, as John McGinn seems to be struggling with an ongoing injury concern.
The Scottish star has been a vital player for Villa this season and could’ve made a big impact tonight, but it’s not worth risking a long term injury if he isn’t fit.
His dynamic box-to-box style and knack of getting a vital goal would’ve been a big challenge for Liverpool to deal with, so it should come as good news for the kids as they have one less threat to deal with.
It could be an embarrassing night for Villa if they don’t make it through, but it’s an incredible opportunity for some of Liverpool’s younger stars.