Coventry City vs Aston Villa – Match preview and team news

Coventry City will host Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup third round on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at Coventry Building Society Arena. Both teams are looking to boost their morale after a challenging start to the season. This is the first time these Midlands rivals have met since May 2001, when Aston Villa's victory saw Coventry relegated from the Premier League.

Coventry, now managed by Frank Lampard, has struggled mightily in the Premier League, losing their opening four matches without scoring or taking a point. The Sky Blues concede 10 goals in total, a troubling statistic following their promotion to the top flight last season. Aston Villa, under Unai Emery, have managed only a solitary point from their first four league matches, but showed more attacking promise in a 3-2 Champions League victory over Club Brugge in midweek.

Coventry will be without Taiwo Awoniyi for three matches following his red card in Sunday's 5-0 defeat to Brighton. Haji Wright, Josh Eccles, Luke Woolfenden, and Kaine Kesler-Hayden are also out for the long haul. Sidiki Cherif, signed in the summer, could make his debut as a substitute up front. Aston Villa will miss Ian Maatsen for six to eight weeks due to ankle ligament damage and Pau Torres for two to four weeks with a hamstring issue.

Matty Cash remains questionable, while Unai Emery is expected to make significant changes to the lineup, potentially fielding Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Ibrahim Mbaye for their first starts.