Aston Villa Eliminated from Carabao Cup by Crystal Palace

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery defended his decision to make 10 changes to the starting lineup after the team lost 2-1 to Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup. Despite the defeat, which marked Villa's fourth consecutive home loss in domestic cup competitions, Emery expressed no regrets about his selections, asserting that he would make the same choices if given the chance again. Key players Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton were injured in the first half for Palace, but Villa's defensive error allowed Daichi Kamada to score the winner. Emery highlighted that the majority of his lineup featured first-team players, including Tyrone Mings and Diego Carlos, who recently returned from injury. The loss followed Villa's strong performance in the Premier League, and Emery emphasized the importance of building the team's structure for the season ahead. Palace's manager Oliver Glasner noted concerns about Eze's hamstring injury following the match.