Rafa Benitez will not send out a weakened XI against Cheltenham Town in the EFL Cup this week, reports The Chronicle.
The Spaniard is determined not to lose the momentum which has begun to build following the two opening Championship defeats. Rising to seventh in the table with wins over Reading and Bristol City, Benitez needs to keep confidence high ahead of this weekend’s match at home to Brighton.
Serbian Aleksandar Mitrovic returns to the starting line-up following his four-match suspension and this is a welcome cup-tie to get his match sharpness ready for the league campaign. The international break comes at unwelcome time with the team just beginning to turn the corner.
Tomorrow is a potential pitfall though. Whilst the League Two side’s only victory this season was in the last round, 1 – 0 against Charlton Athletic. That is Benitez’s warning and he will not be copying the trend of fielding youngsters in this competition.