Bournemouth v Aston Villa preview: kick-off time, team news and form
Bournemouth host Aston Villa at the Vitality Stadium on Wednesday 28th October 2026 (7.45pm UK kick-off) in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, with a place in the quarter-finals on the line. The Bournemouth Echo notes this is the first time the two clubs have met in the League Cup, adding a fresh twist to a midweek tie that both sets of supporters will fancy their side can win (Bournemouth Echo).
There's plenty at stake beyond just bragging rights, with a quarter-final spot up for grabs. Bournemouth currently sit 13th in the Premier League, and while league form isn't the focus for this cup clash, both clubs will want to keep their momentum going into the business end of the year.
In terms of cup form, Bournemouth come into this one having won their last League Cup outing, beating Lincoln City 4-0 at home back in September. Aston Villa also arrive full of confidence in the competition, having beaten Coventry 3-1 away in their last League Cup game in September. Both sides will fancy adding another win to those cup records.
Looking at the bigger picture, Bournemouth have enjoyed a strong run in all competitions, winning four of their last five games including notable victories over Sunderland, AC Milan in the Europa League, and a big away win at Manchester United, though they did suffer a heavy loss at Chelsea in that spell. Aston Villa have been similarly impressive in all competitions, winning four of their last five, including a thumping Champions League win over Fenerbache, a win at Newcastle, and a victory over Manchester City, with their only blemish a draw against Brentford.
The Guardian's round-up of weekend talking points touched on Bournemouth's recruitment smarts, highlighting that the club's goalscorers in a recent fixture had arrived for a combined fee from clubs including Vasco da Gama and Middlesbrough — a reminder of the business that's helped fuel their recent form (The Guardian). The same piece also mentioned Villa's goalkeeper Suzuki settling in quickly at the club (The Guardian).
On team news, there's a strong likelihood of changes from Bournemouth boss Marco Rose, who the Bournemouth Echo reports is set to rotate his squad for the visit of Villa, though he's stressed the team selected will still be competitive and that nobody will be picked unless ready to perform (Bournemouth Echo). A separate Echo preview also predicts changes are likely as the Cherries look to manage their squad through a busy schedule (Bournemouth Echo). AFCB.co.uk have also confirmed that Kroupi is available again, returning for what the club describe as a landmark 350th Premier League game context around the squad (AFCB.co.uk). Elsewhere, the Echo reports the club are "confident" heading into the tie, with the quote "We want to compete everywhere" capturing the mood around the squad ahead of the Villa game (Bournemouth Echo).
Sports Mole have also previewed the tie, covering team news, predicted lineups and a match prediction for what should be an entertaining clash between two in-form sides (Sports Mole).
Kick-off is 7.45pm UK time on Wednesday 28th October at the Vitality Stadium.
Written with the help of AI, using the match facts and the headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.
