Frank Lampard has hinted at changes as Coventry City prepare for a huge Carabao Cup third-round showdown with Aston Villa on Wednesday.
The Sky Blues head into the West Midlands derby desperate for a spark after a miserable start to their Premier League campaign.
Coventry have lost all four of their league matches this season, leaving Lampard searching for answers and a response from his squad.
The Carabao Cup could now provide the perfect escape.
Coventry’s only victory of the campaign came against League One side Plymouth in the previous round in August. Another cup win, this time against Premier League opposition and local rivals Aston Villa, could completely change the mood around the club.
Lampard has therefore suggested he could hand opportunities to players who have been waiting for their chance.
The Coventry boss insists, however, that any changes will not mean sacrificing competitiveness.
Lampard told a pre-match press conference: “It’s a game we certainly want to win.
“I have heard lots of reaction over the years about, ‘why did the manager do this with cup games?’ But when you work day to day with players and they are training at a good level and want to get in the team – then sometimes you have to give them the opportunities and they hopefully show you stuff that bodes well going forward.
“We will certainly try and strike the balance between being competitive as we want to be and potential to see some players and show what they can do.”
That balancing act could be crucial for Coventry.
Lampard needs a result to build momentum, but he also has to assess the wider squad and discover whether fringe players can force their way into his Premier League plans.
A strong performance against Villa would give those players the perfect platform to make their case.
It would also give Coventry supporters something to celebrate after a difficult opening to the season.
The fixture carries added emotional weight because of the history between the two clubs.
This will be the first meeting between Coventry and Aston Villa since May 2001, when Villa defeated the Sky Blues 3-2 at Villa Park and relegated them from the top flight.
More than two decades later, the rivalry returns in a cup tie with plenty at stake for both sides.
Lampard is clearly relishing the occasion.
“I’m very excited for the occasion. I know this is not a Premier League fixture, we got to the Premier League for these kinds of fixtures and is a game the Coventry fans hold dear, not having too many of these over the years so it’s not short on me.”
For Coventry, Wednesday is about much more than simply progressing to the next round.
It is an opportunity to change the narrative.
A victory over Villa would provide Lampard with a much-needed boost, give his players confidence and potentially kickstart a season that has started painfully slowly.
The Sky Blues know the challenge will be difficult, but the Carabao Cup has already provided their only victory this term.
Now they need another.
And with Lampard potentially opening the door for several players to impress, Coventry have plenty of motivation to make this West Midlands derby one to remember.
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