While the majority of the games played in mid-week are Carling Cup games, Aston Villa are set to host local rivals Birmingham City tonight, behind closed doors.
The friendly match between the two Birmingham rivals is to be played just one week before the two sides meet in the Premier League.
The match is expected to include a mix of experience and youth for both teams, as it gives the Birmingham sides an opportunity to feature fringe players, who may be lacking in match fitness.
Villa manager, Martin O’Neill explained the reason for the game to the club’s official website “We’ve arranged a game against Birmingham. It’s basically kids with maybe one or two of the senior players getting involved.”