Paul Lambert keen to secure a Capital gain

After opening the season with two Premier League defeats you would think the League Cup would be pretty low on Paul Lambert's list of priorities.

The visit of Tranmere Rovers would be an ideal opportunity for the Villa boss to rest some of first-team players and rotate his squad a little bit with a game against Newcastle at the weekend.

Not a bit of it. And when asked about fielding a below-strength side for the competition now known as the Capital One Cup Lambert revealed a determination to go as far as possible.

"I don't want to get knocked out of things – if you're in something you might as well go and try and win it. Otherwise there's no point in entering the competition," said Lambert.

"I think with a club this size you cannot take anything lightly. I'm pretty sure if I send out a so called weakened team and we get turned over by a lower league team or whatever, the fans won't accept it – and I'm the same.

"Last year at Norwich we played Leicester in the FA Cup and we'd beaten West Brom. The team I played against Leicester was the team that got us out the Championship and was a really strong team. We got turned over and people said I played a weakened team.

"On that given day we were well beaten by Leicester and they deserved to go through, but I never played a weakened side."

For supporters the match against Tranmere will evoke memories of their dramatic semi-final victory over the Wirral club en route to winning the trophy in 1994.

The claret and blues trailed 3-1 from the first leg but won the second leg against Rovers at Villa Park by the same scoreline and got through the tie on penalties.

Lambert, however, is more familiar with Villa's 2010 League Cup exploits under his mentor Martin O'Neill when they reached the final only to lose 2-1 to Manchester United.

"I'm pretty sure if you ask any Villa fan about the time they had under the gaffer – I call him that because I still get frightened of him – they will say it was unbelievable, getting in near the top six and a cup final," said Lambert.

"A cup is vital, it does generate a good feeling about the club and it gives you an opportunity to get to Wembley."

Meanwhile, Tranmere boss Ronnie Moore has urged his players will leave nothing in the dressing room as they bid to cause an upset.

"We'll enjoy it. If it happens, it happens. We'll go and have a go," said Moore."We're not going to defend and play people behind the ball; we'll have a right good go and see what happens."

Villa (4-4-2): Guzan; Lowton, Baker, Vlaar, Lichaj; N'Zogbia, El Ahmadi, Ireland, Bannan; Bent Weimann. Subs: Herd, Delph, Holman, Delfouneso, Burke, Given (gk).

Tranmere (4-4-2): Fon Williams; Holmes, Taylor, Gibson, Bakayogo; Bell-Baggie, Wallace, Palmer, Robinson; Akpa Akpro, Cassidy. Subs: Kay, Power, Thompson, McGurk, Stockton, Harrison, Jason Mooney (gk).