In the third round of the EFL Cup, Championship side Middlesbrough hosted Premier League powerhouse Aston Villa. Villa are having a strong season and have risen to the top of the Premier League table, but they don't seem to consider the EFL Cup as their primary goal. With a double header between the league and the UEFA Europa League, Villa are likely to consider the EFL Cup as a throwaway, which gives Middlesbrough a chance to make a comeback, so you may want to back the home win. (Live on TVB myTV SUPER at 1:30am on Sunday morning!)
Villa is currently ranked second in the Premier League, and the league is undoubtedly the most crucial battleground for them to pursue the title as well as to keep the top four seats. The team's leader, Amelie, as a veteran coach of European matches, has led Xavier and Villarreal to win the UEFA Cup, and now the UEFA Europa League has advanced to the round of 16, which is also the focus of their competition. In contrast, the importance of the EFL Cup is obviously not high.
Looking back at history, Villa have suffered repeated setbacks in their EFL Cup campaigns in recent years, losing all of their last eight EFL Cup matches, and being knocked out in the third round of the previous seven tournaments, including by weaker teams such as Stephanopoulos and Petersburg. This does not seem to be a coincidence, as they clearly have no intention of competing for the title, and with their own strength not being strong, would prefer to go out early in order to focus on other fronts.
