Aston Villa XI vs Coventry City – Predicted lineup and team news

Aston Villa are set to face Coventry City in the Carabao Cup third round on Wednesday, September 16th, 2026. Unai Emery's team is aiming to make a strong start to the season following a difficult beginning to the league campaign, where they managed only one point from their first four matches. A result in their favor would see Villa progress to the fourth round for the second time in the last six seasons.

However, this important away game comes at a challenging time for Villa. The side will be without Ian Maatsen, who is out for six to eight weeks due to ankle ligament damage, and Pau Torres, who is expected to miss two to four weeks with a hamstring issue. Leon Goretzka, Brian Madjo, and long-term absentee Amadou Onana are also unavailable for selection. Matty Cash remains a doubt after missing the last two matches with muscular discomfort, but Aaron Wan-Bissaka is available to play at right-back if Cash is not used.

Emery plans to rotate his squad heavily, given the club's busy schedule. Recent signings Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Ibrahim Mbaye are likely to make their debuts, while Alejandro Garnacho is also fighting for a starting spot. The predicted lineup for Aston Villa features a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Bryan as the goalkeeper, and the team is expected to kick off at 20:00 BST. The match can be watched live on Sky Sports+ in the UK.