Aston Villa will have more time and energy to focus on their Championship promotion bid after making an early exit from the EFL Cup at the hands of League Two Luton Town.
Earlier on Wednesday the recently relegated club's new owner Dr Tony Xia revealed his mission to lead Villa to European dominance in five years' time, and he will have been left unimpressed by their first advance as Roberto Di Matteo's men responded by losing 3-1 at Luton in the first round of the League Cup.
The results means Villa, beaten by Sheffield Wednesday in their league opener, will be absent from the second-round draw for the first time in years.