Former Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood has revealed that he was advised to field a weaker team for the Second City derby League Cup clash back in 2015.

Rudy Gestede scored the only goal of the game for Villa in the second half, heading in Jordan Amavi’s cross from the left.

It was one of very few highlights of a drab season for Villa in 2015/16, which ended with the club being relegated to the Championship.

Sherwood lasted only 12 games that campaign, having taken over in the previous season and helped the club remain in the top flight, while also guiding them to an FA Cup final.

The former manager, now turned pundit, has been discussing his time at Villa on Premier League Productions’ Team Talks and recalled a conversation with one executive prior to a League Cup match against Blues over a decade ago.

He said: “I remember someone on the executive side of Aston Villa knocked on my door the day before one of...