Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings says the major departures they lost can be no excuse.

Dean Smith's side go to Chelsea in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday after losing 3-0 at Stamford Bridge last week.

Villa lost Jack Grealish after his £100million move to Manchester City while joint assistant managers John Terry and Richard O'Kelly left over the summer.

“We're obviously going through a little bit of a phase where coaching staff, players have left and other coaching staff and players have come in," Mings told Villa's website.

“I don't want to use the excuse of 'we need to gel, we need to bed together and understand each other before we have success' because a lot of teams in the same league will also be going through the same things.

“The most important thing for us is that we don't get frustrated. If the last two years have taught us anything (it) is that no season will ever be the same and we will continue to keep learning.

“Year-on-year development and progress has to be seen as successful for this club."