Carlisle United will tonight change their team for the first time this season - but manager Neil McDonald has warned there can be no let-up against Bradford City.
McDonald will give some of his fringe players an opportunity to show their worth but insists he is taking the League Cup seriously.
"It's going to be a strong team but not everybody," he admitted. "There's players who have been working hard in training and waiting for their chance. The League Cup's not really a priority, our priority's staying in this division, but the team's full of confidence and I have to keep the momentum going.
"Plus we're at home so it's important we put on a good show. But at the same time I would like to make a couple of changes."
The former Newcastle United and Everton midfielder explained his decision was motivated by a desire to avoid fatigue affecting the Cumbrians' League One campaign.
"We played three games last week keeping the same team and lost the last one," he reasoned. "This time we've won the first one and we want to make sure we can win the third, against Oldham on Sunday.
"The first four games have been an excellent start but everybody else is working hard, with the exception of one player (Adam Murray) who spat his dummy out."
Although McDonald was being coy about who he intends to select, Derek Holmes and Danny Livesey will be among those hoping for first starts of the season.
The latter has a strong chance with Kevin Gray the only member of a fully-fit squad confirmed as being left out. The 34-year-old captain went off after just 38 minutes of Saturday's 3-1 win over Leyton Orient suffering from a rib injury and breathing difficulties.
And despite being kept in hospital overnight has been declared fit.
"He was going to be rested anyway," McDonald revealed. "He'll have a couple of days' recuperation and then we'll look at him on Thursday or Friday with a view to the Oldham game.
"I was going to leave him out anyway with him having a few years on everyone else."
