Sunderland v Huddersfield Town Huddersfield Town fans can expect a much-changed side for Tuesday's League Cup second-round tie at Sunderland, but manager Lee Grant says they should take it as a sign of how much he trusts his squad.

Six games into the season, Grant has made 24 changes to his starting XI, using 21 different starters, plus three others only as substitutes.

The most-changed side held Leicester City to a 2-2 draw in the last round, before knocking them out on penalties.

So even though Grant described Saturday's win over previously 100 per cent Stevenage as probably the performance he has enjoyed the most this season, it is no surprise he is planning more rotation away to Premier League opposition.

TRSUT: Huddersfield Town manager Lee Grant (Image: Jonathan Gawthorpe)

placeholder image — TRSUT: Huddersfield Town manager Lee Grant (Image: Jonathan Gawthorpe)

"What we've seen from playing Leicester is that we can trust this whole group and there's lots of guys who have deserved the opportunity to experience playing against a Premier League side with top payers in an unbelievable environment, a wonderful stadium," said Grant.

"We're going to make changes but on my first day with the group we talked about the importance of these cup competitions and I'm so glad the club have taken that on board. Leicester showed that."

Likely to get his chance is centre-back Jack Whatmough, who played the whole of the first three league games of the season, but has not even made the bench for the other thee matches.

"Jack's in a great place and you can see how well he's played in the first few games," said Grant. "We know he's going to be super-important for us.

STARTING POINT: Lynden Gooch (right) began his career with Sunderland when they were last in the Premier League (Image: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

"Jack's working incredibly hard every day. There's no ego about Jack and that's really pleasing for me. He knows he's going to get the chance to put his skills and attributes on display very, very soon."

But Marcus McGuane will miss out having only played 18 minutes of football (plus added time) thus far.

"Marcus, having built up his fitness and worked his way back into the team, has taken a niggle to his groin area so we're going to be without Marcus for a period of time," explained Grant.

"We were just starting to see what he could bring to us."

On the bench against Stevenage, right-back Lynden Gooch will hope to be restored to the XI against a club the Californian began training with at the age of 10 and only left as a 27-year-old after more than 200 senior appearances.

Gooch, who was a centre-forward in academy football, got his break as a winger and moved deeper as his career went on, has plenty of "Mackem" in his strange hybrid accent, and two years after his departure Black Cats fans still hold him dear.

"It meant an awful lot to me to put that shirt on every week and I think I transmitted on the pitch what they wanted from one of their own," said Gooch. "Although I wasn't born there I think I embodied what the Sunderland fans are all about.

"During some difficult and dark times in the club's history I tried to give my best and stayed as long as I could to try and help the club get back to where they want to be."

The 7.45pm kick off will go straight to penalties if scores are level after 90 minutes.