Heaton knows quarter-final clash is no place for friendship

Posted Wednesday, October 30, 2019 by PA

Goalkeeper Tom Heaton knows Aston Villa must be prepared for a hostile derby with Wolves.

Villa are aiming to reach the Carabao Cup quarter finals when they host their local rivals on Wednesday.

Wolves are unbeaten in their last eight games in all competitions and seeking their first win at Villa Park since 2011.

And Heaton is expecting fireworks with a place in the last eight up for grabs.

“The lads have been talking about how hostile that will be. A local derby, under the lights, it’ll be a great atmosphere,” he said.

“It’s a big game in midweek, one we’re looking forward to and we want to go as far as we can in the cup.

“There is definitely some learning going on. It’s been a rock-solid start.”

Jack Grealish is likely to miss the fixture after suffering a kick to the calf in Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Manchester City.

James Chester (hamstring), Jota (hernia) and Jonathan Kodjia (fractured cheekbone) are close to a return but are not fit yet.

Matt Doherty believes Wolves have already proved their staying power during their marathon season.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side play their 21st game of the season when they travel to Villa Park, having started their campaign in the Europa League qualifiers in July.

They are unbeaten in their last eight outings in all competitions and Doherty told the club’s official website: “We’ve played 20 games this season and only lost three times, so we’re obviously hard to beat.

“If we can put the ball in the back of the net more, we’ll win a lot of games and we need to do it.

“The more games you play, the more you stay unbeaten fills you with confidence. We’ve got Aston Villa then we go to Arsenal, so the games come thick and fast and we’re prepared.”

Willy Boly is sidelined after suffering a broken ankle in training.

The club’s medical team are assessing whether the centre-back needs surgery while fellow defender Ryan Bennett remains a doubt but could still return at Villa Park.