New Villa boss Gerard Houllier is prepared to be courageous in the Carling Cup tonight after revealing he will rotate his squad for his first game in charge.

Villa’s new manager confirmed he plans to alter half of the team which faced Bolton on Saturday for the third-round clash against Blackburn at Villa Park as he keeps one eye on Sunday’s Premier League derby at Molineux with Wolves.

Richard Dunne now also looks set to miss the trip as well as tonight’s game, Stephen Ireland is a major doubt with a dead leg, while Houllier confirmed Marc Albrighton will be among those rested.

And Ashley Young, James Collins, Stiliyan Petrov and John Carew could also sit out the game after the Frenchman hinted he plans to rest his international stars.

“I’m resting Marc tomorrow,” said Houllier. “He plays with the under-21s as well. This is a good opportunity to give the international players a rest. The only doubt I have is about Stephen Ireland because he got a dead leg in training. We will see how he recuperates.

“Richard Dunne is definitely out and maybe out as well for the first league game against Wolverhampton — I don’t think he will be able to play. It is a knee injury.

“How many players will I look to rotate? Half of the team. Obviously we had to split the group — one team was preparing for Blackburn with the other probably more orientated towards the Wolves game.

“I’m not the only one to do that. All teams probably rotate with their players for the early rounds. It’s not a lesser side, it’s a good side.”

But Houllier insists he is not taking an unnecessary gamble against fellow Premier League opposition because his entire squad must play their part.

“Everybody contributes to the success,” he added. “You cannot win things with only 11 players. A squad means you need at least 20 players.

“You cannot play 11 players and discard the others. You need to make sure everyone feels this is a club and this is a squad and we are in this together.

“Obviously I saw 11, 12 or 13 last weekend and I need to see the others. It is not a pre-season but it is a bit like that.”

Houllier admits a cup game is not the ideal way to start his reign but says he will be doing everything to lead last season’s Carling Cup runners-up to Wembley again.

“We’ve had two days of training and I have to say I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the boys,” he added.

“They look focused and I think they are also happy that things have settled a bit. For over a month they have experienced quite a lot of events at the club. Hopefully now we will go on a run of good results. I am looking forward to Blackburn but it’s not the best way to start as you need to rotate a bit.

“Let’s go for it because a win and another win and then you’re practically in the semi-final and then who knows.

“We know we can’t reach the final every year but we will do everything we can to try to win it.”

Houllier hopes for a decent turnout at Villa Park this evening and has urged fans, who were subdued during Saturday’s Bolton draw, to get behind his team.