Graham Potter admits he is about to learn even more about his squad as he prepares for Aston Villa’s Carabao Cup visit.

Striker Neal Maupay has been added to Seagulls’ extensive injury list while Albion’s head coach is reluctant to risk frontman Glenn Murray, who was an unused substitute on the bench for the stalemate at Newcastle on Saturday after rolling an ankle in training.

Although the vibes are good that Frenchman Maupay will play at Chelsea on Saturday in the Premier League, his name has been added to a list of senior players which also includes Leandro Trossard, Solly March, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Leon Balogun and Jose Izquierdo.

Potter is also understandably wary about risking Ezequiel Schelotto before he is ready despite the full-back’s eagerness to get back to action after his return from anterior cruciate ligament damage.

As Potter was asked about the likes of Balogun and Jahanbakhsh being ready, or even Schelotto, and he put a line through each names, it became clear there would be an opportunity for more players to put their hands up tomorrow.

He spoke early in the season about there always being “surprises” in a squad, and Aaron Connolly and Steven Alzate’s elevation to the Premier League squad have highlight exactly that point.

Asked if he was having to dig even deeper into his squad, Potter said: “Yes we are.

“We’re just at the start of working with the group, and that’s the under-23s as well and the whole playing staff here, so the more information we get the better for us – and that’s how we shall look at this game.

“We want to, hopefully, be surprised, of course.”

He added: “It’s an opportunity to look at the group in its entirety and guys who have not had as much game time as they would like will get the opportunity.

“We can also look at some younger players as well to see how they cope in that type of environment against what I think will be a strong Aston Villa side.

“Of course, it’s a game you want to win but at the same time we’re in a bit of a heavy period as well with a couple of injuries so we just need to look after the group and make sure we select the right team to be as competitive as we can.”

Potter points to the Bristol Rovers win in the previous round as a good illustration of how the competition has already helped pave the way for the likes of two younger players to make steps forward.

He said: “Steven Alazate benefited from that game, so did Aaron Connolly, and we enjoyed the win.

“Is it the same as the Premier League? No. I’d be lying if I said that but at the same time it is where we can learn a lot about the group.”

Alzate is unlikely to figure after his man-of-the-match exertions at Newcastle but Connolly looks almost certain to lead the line in the competition in which he made a goalscoring senior debut.

Schelotto, who came to Albion with the nickname ‘The Greyhound’, has been straining at the leash to play after returning to training and travelled to the North East with the group but was not part of the matchday squad.

Potter hinted that may still not change as yet.

He said: “He has been brilliant in terms of how quickly he has got back - six months from an ACL injury is incredible.

“It’s all credit to him for the work that he has done but we have to be very careful at this stage.

“He wants to play, that’s quite obvious, and we would want him to play, of course, but after all that work he has done we just need to make sure he has enough training first before he goes onto the pitch as safely as he can.”

Centre-half Balogun, though, is further away from a return than possibly previously expected due to a groin problem.

“It will be too soon for Leon and even the weekend I think he will be running out of time for that too,” revealed Potter.

“He may be available for the Tottenham game, we shall see how he responds.”

Potter expects Villa boss Dean Smith to also shuffle his pack after their 3-2 loss against a ten-man Arsenal on Sunday.

But he still believes they will face a major threat from the Villains under the former Brentford manager he knows well from their days locking horns in the Championship.

Former Swansea manager Potter said: “Dean has a clear way of playing, from Brentford to Aston Villa.

“I shall imagine they will use the game to give guys who have not played as much some time on the pitch but, at the same time, the Villa side that comes here will be an attacking, attractive football team.”