In the 3rd round of the EFL Cup, Championship side Middlesbrough will host a home game against Premier League rivals Aston Villa. Villa has been on a roll this season and has become a contender in the Premier League. However, they have not been paying much attention to the EFL Cup, and with the league and UEFA Europa League competing on two fronts this season, they have a good chance of dropping out of the tournament, which will give Middlesbrough an opportunity to take advantage of the handicap. (Live on TVB myTV SUPER at 1:30am Sunday)
Villa are in the second place in the Premier League, looking for the title and the top 4, so the league is definitely the most important thing. The leader of the team, Amery, is an expert in European competitions, and he has led Xavier and Villarreal to win the UEFA Cup, and the UEFA Europa League, which has already progressed to the round of 16, is also a target for contention.
Villa have lost all 8 of their last 8 EFL Cup matches, and 7 of their previous matches were in the 3rd round, including to weak teams such as Stephanopoulos and Petersburg, which is not a coincidence.
