Bolton Wanderers take on Aston Villa this evening in the Carabao Cup with the aim of dumping the Premier League side out of the competition.
The Whites host the Villans at the University of Bolton Stadium this evening as they seek to produce an upset. Kick-off is at 7.45pm.
The reward for victory is passage to the third round and the prospect of another top flight side. The next stage is where teams involved in European competitions enter the fray.
READ MORE: Ian Evatt on facing Aston Villa, team selection decisions & why game is a 'freebie' for Bolton
Wanderers boss Ian Evatt has already made his team selection for the encounter in the busy start to the season and changes are anticipated. He accepts there will be some disappointed players in his squad but believes the League One campaign is the main goal this campaign.
Evatt said: “We’ve made plans for this game and we’ll stick to those plans. There’s going to be some disappointed boys because they feel like this is a really big game. It is, but it’s not, if you know what I mean because the league is the most important thing for us and that’s where we’ll be judged this season.
“We’re not going to win the Carabao Cup so it’s a freebie, a free hit and just to enjoy the day, the game and see where that takes us.”
Wanderers will be without striker Jon Dadi Bodvarsson owing to a slight hamstring problem. It is expected he will be back in action next month.
James Trafford could start as goalkeeper. Evatt could name the same back three which started the loss to Sheffield Wednesday in the form of Gethin Jones, Ricardo Santos and George Johnston.
Will Aimson is an option on the right of the trio, while Jack Iredale is an option on the left. In the wing-back roles, Evatt could start Kieran Sadlier and Declan John on the right and left respectively.
George Thomason returns from suspension to availability. MJ Williams is expected to start in the holding midfield role, with a choice of Thomason, Aaron Morley and Kyle Dempsey options alongside.
Kieran Lee could be handed a start in the number 10 role, given he was an unused substitute in the loss to the Owls on Saturday. Dion Charles could start the encounter upfront alongside Dapo Afolayan.
Bolton Wanderers predicted starting team vs Aston Villa: Trafford; Jones, Santos, Iredale; Sadlier, Morley, Williams, John; Lee; Charles, Afolayan.
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