Bournemouth are set to rotate their squad for Wednesday's Carabao Cup fourth-round tie against Aston Villa. Manager Andoni Iraola is expected to make several changes to the side that won 3-0 at Manchester United last Saturday, with a Premier League match against Leeds United this weekend taking priority.

Iraola confirmed the need to manage his players' workload after a demanding run of fixtures. "We have to be smart," the manager said. The club's focus is firmly on their league position, where they sit 13th with nine points from eight matches, having recorded two wins and three draws against three losses. Their goal difference stands at minus one, having scored 12 and conceded 13. They are also 12 points behind the league leaders, Manchester City.

Squad changes expected

Key players who started the emphatic victory at Old Trafford are likely to be rested. This could provide opportunities for squad members who have seen less action recently. The changes are a practical decision, not a reflection of the competition's importance, as the club continues to handle a busy period.

Bournemouth's recent form has been excellent, with four consecutive wins in all competitions. That run includes a 3-0 victory over AC Milan in the Europa League and the comprehensive win at Manchester United, where Marcus Tavernier was among the scorers. Tavernier is the team's top scorer this season with five goals in eight appearances. The 3-0 win at Old Trafford on Saturday 25 October saw goals from Rayan Vitor Simplício Rocha, Tavernier, and Francisco Evanilson, following a 3-0 win over AC Milan on Thursday 22 October where Justin Kluivert and Tavernier scored from the penalty spot before Amine Adli added a third. This winning sequence, which forms part of a recent run of four wins and one loss from the last five games, also included a 2-0 league win over Sunderland on Sunday 18 October and a 3-0 Europa League victory against Sturm Graz on Thursday 15 October, which followed a 5-1 defeat at Chelsea on Saturday 10 October.

The next league game is a significant one at home to Leeds United, who are currently seventh in the table, on Saturday 31 October. With only a three-day turnaround between the cup tie and the league match, squad rotation is a logical step to keep players fresh for the challenges ahead.

The report in full is at onefootball.com