Aston Villa

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We asked for your thoughts after Wednesday's League Cup game between Aston Villa and Crystal Palace.

Here are some of your comments:

Aston Villa fans

David: Disappointed that the players weren’t able to step up to the level required. Emery had to rotate the team, recognising the Premier League and Champions League are our main priorities, but the starting 11 should have done better and especially in the second half. Let’s hope we can put a decent run together in the FA Cup.

Gary: Beaten in midfield by a more committed side. Villa wanted too much time and were second best on too many occasions.

Steve: Absolutely clueless. This was a team that hadn’t played together and at times they looked like they hadn’t even trained together. Highlight of the night was seeing Tyrone Mings return to the team as we’ll need him this season.

Cassie: Villa could have scored two or three goals in the opening 30 minutes but failed, which again shows why they must sign a proven striker. I would rather lose this game than a league game. This was a reality check and a wake up call.

Crystal Palace fans

Pedro: It's so nice to regain some momentum and self-belief. We're pressing again, closing down the opposition and finding space. Injuries aside, it was a great performance and a good way to go into the crucial game against Wolves.

Sprucey: Back to old fighting Palace. Despite the goal, Kamada is the only player that makes me nervous every time he has the ball. Shame some of the youngsters didn't get any minutes.

Ted: We've suffered but now we’re seeing a revival and I'm loving it.

Rob: Not much to cheer about for Palace fans. Kamada was abysmal until he scored and the team struggled to put three passes together. The hard-tackling Hughes was probably our best player. Despite constant reminders of how we miss Olise, the intelligent cohesion was lost when we sold Andersen and Wharton's form faded. More struggles ahead.

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Aston Villa boss Unai Emery, speaking to the media after defeat by Crystal Palace in the League Cup: "We started with 11 players in the first-team squad.

"We started with Tyrone Mings and Diego Carlos, they can play in the starting XI playing against Bayern Munich.

"We started with [Ian] Maatsen and Kosta [Nedeljkovic]. We started with [Boubacar] Kamara, with John McGinn, Leon Bailey, Jaden Philogene, Jhon Duran, [Emiliano] Buendia, I don't know if I can have some regret.

"We are with our way, building the team, building the structure. Today we competed, but we lost.

"Of course I am disappointed and frustrated, but we competed with the players to get the performance.

"If I am repeating this match 100 times I am playing with the same players."

Marissa Thomas
BBC Sport journalist

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Aston Villa were knocked out in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup by Crystal Palace in a disappointing night at Villa Park.

Unai Emery made 10 changes to the side that drew with Bournemouth at the weekend, with John McGinn the only player to keep his place, and it was a disjointed performance as a result of that.

The hosts dominated proceedings with 62% possession and had nine shots on target but didn't particularly trouble Palace.

Leon Bailey tested Palace goalkeeper Matt Turner at his near post and Jhon Duran had a strike well saved after it looked to be heading into the top corner.

On a more positive note, centre-back Tyrone Mings made his first start for Villa in 445 days since he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury against Newcastle United on the opening day of last season and ended the game with the captain's armband after McGinn was substituted.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

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What did you make of Palace's display?, external

Come back to this page on Thursday to find a selection of your replies

The Carabao Cup quarter-final line-up will be completed on Wednesday, with the six remaining fourth-round ties being played.

• Brighton v Liverpool (19:30)

• Aston Villa v Crystal Palace

• Man Utd v Leicester

• Newcastle v Chelsea - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Preston v Arsenal

• Tottenham v Man City (20:15) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Kick-off times 19:45 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction

Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

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You could imagine rival managers rolling their eyes at Unai Emery's irritation after Saturday's draw with Bournemouth.

As problems go, it could be worse. Aston Villa have dropped points at home twice this season, on the weekends directly after winning Champions League matches.

Against Bournemouth, they conceded a very late equaliser after the visitors had roused themselves to create a tense finish. Previously, four days after defeating Bayern Munich, Villa were disappointing in a goalless draw against Manchester United.

Hold on - do not adjust your set - the idea that a draw with Manchester United would be in any sense disappointing is, in itself, still novel.

But this is part of Aston Villa's new reality.

The highs are stratospheric, but so are the standards demanded to make them possible. That means the surrendering of any points in circumstances like Saturday will prompt some introspection.

"Of course we deserved to win, but we have to accept it. It is painful but we have to accept it," said Emery, sounding quite like somebody who is really not into accepting this sort of thing at all.

Up here in the stratosphere, we do not just shrug and say that we have had a busy week and these things happen sometimes.

Emery added: "There is still work to do because we are trying to get a strong mentality. Emotionally, when you are 1-0 in the last minute and you think the three points are very important, we didn't control it. We have to learn, the players have to learn." They probably will, too.

Emery stands up for his players - he praised their overall performance several times on Saturday - but he pushes them hard to improve, even those already playing beyond the limits of where they ever expected they might reach.

It is that relentless demand - and restlessness when things are just not quite right - that is fuelling Villa's current success.

The Carabao Cup tie against Crystal Palace presents a dilemma. It has been such a long time since Villa won a trophy. We ought to say, given where they currently stand, it is possible that they could challenge for the Premier League or even the Champions League.

Arguably, though, they are more serious contenders to win one of the domestic cups and the fans would revel in a Wembley final.

Emery speaks respectfully of these competitions and wanting to do well in everything they enter, but clearly the Premier League and Champions League have priority in a congested calendar.

There may be some tricky choices, but they are better equipped to fight on up to four fronts than they were a year ago.

• Listen to full commentary of Aston Villa v Crystal Palace at 19:45 GMT on Wednesday on BBC Radio WM

• Tune into The West Midlands Football Phone-In from 18:00 on weeknights