Leicester vs Aston Villa on Sky Sports: The biggest Midlands derby in decades?
Leicester vs Aston Villa is live on Sky Sports Football and Main Event from 7.30pm; kick-off 8pm
Wednesday 8 January 2020 20:14, UK
Twenty-four points and 15 places separate Leicester and Aston Villa in the Premier League, but the Carabao Cup loves an underdog.
Live EFL Cup
Though that may be a strange tag for Aston Villa - five-time League Cup winners themselves - on this season's showing, Leicester are the kings of the Midlands and the clear favourites in this Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.
But this competition doesn't always do favourites; in the last decade, Southampton, Sunderland, Bradford and Cardiff have all reached the final, while Swansea and Birmingham have won it.
The landscape of football in the Midlands has changed over the past decade, aided by Leicester's unprecedented title success in 2015/16, and their rise again under Brendan Rodgers. Villa's three-year sabbatical in the Championship ended in May, but they haven't found it plain sailing back in the top flight.
This will be the first meeting between two Midlands sides in a domestic semi-final since 2000, when Leicester beat Villa over two legs in this competition before beating Tranmere at Wembley.
Villa's current situation is worrying. Clear of the relegation zone by just a point, long-term injuries to striker Wesley and goalkeeper Tom Heaton have flipped Dean Smith's January plans, as they look to avoid an expensive drop to the Championship while juggling a domestic semi-final.
Just 35 miles east, Leicester are exceeding expectations under Brendan Rodgers, sitting second in the Premier League, but more importantly 14 points clear of fifth place. Champions League football seems a certainty, meaning full focus can be placed on reaching Wembley for the March 1 final.
Leicester vs Aston Villa is live on Sky Sports Football and Main Event from 7.30pm; kick-off 8pm. The second leg will also be live on Sky Sports Football on Tuesday January 28; kick-off 7.45pm.
Rodgers: Go and make history
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers has urged the Foxes to make more history and reach the Carabao Cup final.
"I'm aware the club hasn't been to a final for 20 years so let's get there then," he said. "Let's not be worried too much about the past. Let's create this new history but we know we're going to have to play well to get there.
"It's always nice when you have something tangible to show for your progress. The players have been amazing so if you can do that it would be great. You can still do some great work as a team and as a club and not win but our ambition is to win.
"Any team that wins anything you have to move onto the next focus and target."
Smith: We won't be sitting back
Aston Villa boss Dean Smith says he's happy to play at Leicester in the first leg, and says his side won't be sitting back and defending at the King Power.
"The players are all ready. We don't have a lot of choice with the numbers we have, but everyone is looking forward to the game.
"There's a real good work ethic and a drive about the players that I want to continue. We're all looking forward to two really good games against Leicester.
"I prefer to play away first, but the key thing is making sure we're still in the tie. We've got to strike the balance between being cautious and trying to win. If you sit back and defend against Leicester, they've got players who can hurt you."
Team news
Jamie Vardy is available to play for Leicester; the Premier League's top goalscorer has not played since Boxing Day due to the birth of his child and a calf injury.
Wes Morgan, Filip Benkovic and long-term absentee Matty James are the only other injury concerns, with Rodgers expected to field a strong side.
Villa are without long-term absentees Wesley, Tom Heaton and John McGinn, with Keinan Davis pushing for a start having a returned to training from injury.
The game will come too soon for Jed Steer and Matt Targett, so Orjan Nyland should start in goal, with Jack Grealish and Tyrone Mings likely to return after being rested for the FA Cup clash with Fulham.
'Both will take this very seriously'
Sky Sports News' Rob Dorsett: "Leicester will take this very seriously, and so will Villa. For Villa, it's another potential trip to Wembley, the third in just under two years, and I'd be surprised if they don't put a full-strength side out. If Villa were to win this tie over two legs, the confidence boost would be immense.
"For Leicester, former manager Claude Puel got a lot of stick in the past, from the owners and fans, because he didn't take the cup competitions seriously. Leicester's hierarchy got into this business to win trophies, and the ethos from the top of the club is to win something.
"Is it more important for Leicester to finish in the Champions League? Yes. But they have the depth to cope with the number of games.
"The make-up of the biggest sides in the Midlands is intriguing. Villa have a big ground, and are still a big, big club, but have been in the doldrums for a decade. This could change that and be a really big boost for them.
"Leicester's squad is still very young. The likes of Harvey Barnes, Ben Chilwell, James Maddison, Wilfred Ndidi, to get a trophy under their belt would be huge, particularly going into big games in the Champions League next season. Can they perform in these one-off games?
"I can't see there being any complacency from a Leicester stance; they are so confident right now, and can make changes and win comfortably. I think they'll be absolutely bang up for this."
Stats
- Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers has progressed from each of his last 30 domestic cup ties with Liverpool, Celtic and Leicester (winning five trophies with Celtic).
- Leicester have gone on to reach the League Cup final on all five occasions they have reached the semi-finals.
- Aston Villa are the top scorers in League Cup this season (16) - six more than any other team (inc Leicester, 10).
- This is 100th meeting between these sides in all competitions; Leicester have won 42, Villa 33 and there have been 24 draws.
How to follow Leicester vs Aston Villa
Leicester vs Aston Villa is live on Sky Sports Football and Main Event from 7.30pm; kick-off 8pm. You can watch in-game clips in the live match blog on the Sky Sports website and app.
Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.
