John Carew has urged Aston Villa's players to take the Carling Cup seriously this week.

Carew believes Aston Villa should be challenging in the latter stages of the Carling Cup every season as they look to book a quarter-final spot at the expense of Sunderland this evening.

The Norway striker said: "In the last two years we went out of this competition in the second round and this is a trophy we can really go for and should be fighting for.

"Teams around us (in the Barclays Premier League) have reached quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals and there is no reason why we can't be there as well.

"It is important for Villa to do well in this competition having gone out of Europe. We are not in the Europa League anymore and we have to focus on this one.

"It is a chance to win a big trophy and we really have to go for it.

"As a big team, who are high up in the Premier League, we should be participating in quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals in this tournament - every year."