Aston Villa Struggles Extend with Goal Drought, Emery Plans Changes for Carabao Cup

Aston Villa, under Unai Emery, have struggled to find form this season, failing to score in their first four Premier League matches and remaining in the relegation zone. Emery is expected to make changes to the squad for their Carabao Cup third-round match against Brentford, with new signings like Jadon Sancho, Harvey Elliott, and Victor Lindelof potentially featuring to help spark the team's season. Despite a poor start, including a heavy 3-0 loss to Crystal Palace, the team and dressing room appear determined to fight for improvement, as highlighted by John McGinn's emotional message emphasizing unity and strength. Villa's goalless run is historically poor, marking the first time since 1997/98 they have failed to score in their opening three league games, and they are the only team in the top seven tiers of English football not to have scored yet this season. Emery has expressed a renewed focus on the Carabao Cup as an opportunity for the club and players to compete for a title, a shift from previous seasons when the competition was a lower priority. Selection dilemmas remain as Emery considers different line-ups, including potentially starting Emi Buendia to inject creativity after his positive substitute performance against Everton.