Carabao Cup: Aston Villa v Liverpool preview

For one thing, don’t let the names fool you. Though this might technically be Villa v Liverpool, what we will actually get is a match between a likely much-changed Villa team and Liverpool’s youngsters, played out in front of thousands of empty seats at a ground which is typically packed out.

It is fair to assume Sky Sports may not get the spectacle they were hoping for when selecting the tie for live TV coverage.

Under normal circumstances any team who, like the hosts, were struggling for league form would see a cup fixture as a welcome distraction.

Yet while the timing of this tie, which clashes with the visitors’ involvement in the Club World Cup, means Villa will face a severely-weakened opponent, it also means all of the pressure is on Dean Smith’s team.

No matter what changes the head coach makes to his own XI, anything less than progression would be a serious embarrassment. There is simply no point claiming otherwise.

The good news for Villa is that they have already been in this situation twice before in this season’s competition, first when they travelled to take on a Brighton team consisting of under-23s and under-18s, then when they faced a weakened Wolves in October’s fourth round.

Both tasks were handled in a professional manner and Smith will demand the same from the team he selects tonight, eager to ensure a golden opportunity to reach a semi-final does not turn out to be a banana skin.

The difference between this fixture and the two earlier rounds is that Villa are approaching it with belief the lowest it has been for a long time, arguably since February, after a run of six defeats in eight Premier League matches which has left them precariously placed just above the relegation zone.

Tonight, then, is also a chance to boost morale heading into a huge week in which Villa face the three teams below them in the table over the course of eight days.

For Smith, there may be a temptation to field some regular starters in the hope they can build back some confidence, though it seems more likely he will give the likes of Jota, Trezeguet and Jonathan Kodjia the chance to boost their claim for more regular playing time.

Kodjia replaced Wesley off the bench during Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Sheffield United and is currently Villa’s only available back-up to the misfiring Brazilian.

Conor Hourihane, Villa’s top scorer in the competition with three goals, will return provided he is able to shake off the injury which saw him miss the trip to Bramall Lane. So too should Ahmed Elmohamady, scorer of the winning goal against Wolves.

Tonight’s tie comes almost 17 years to the day since the teams played out a thrilling tie at the same stage of the competition, on a night which could also be filed under bizarre.

Danny Murphy netted late on that occasion to claim a 4-3 victory for the Reds, though the match is almost as well remembered for kicking off 80 minutes late, after Villa were caught out by an unexpectedly large walk-up crowd.

A repeat is highly unlikely tonight, however, with the chance Villa Park could witness its lowest crowd of the year.

The fact Liverpool were always going to be sending a weakened team, coupled with it falling just ahead of a busy festive period, meant Villa’s decision to charge between £20 and £33 for an adult ticket always looked a questionable one. It has duly been reflected in the sales.

The club, to their credit, appear to have recognised the mistake and have reduced prices for season ticket holders to £20 in all areas of the ground, while offering vouchers to those who had already bought at the higher price.

All the same, a rare error of judgement from the club’s hierarchy, it will nevertheless ensure an already odd occasion feels that bit more strange.

Match prediction: Home win