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This week's League Cup fixtures offer an opportunity for Premier League managers to shuffle their teams and give some of their fringe players a run out. Various African stars have been struggling to get adequate gametime in the top flight this term, and this quintet will surely be keen to prove a point if they get handed an opportunity to impress this week. Ahmed Musa: Things really haven't worked out for Musa following his club-record £16 million move to Leicester City from CSKA Moscow last summer. With Jamie Vardy ultimately remaining at the then-champions, opportunities have been few and far between for the Nigeria international, who managed just two Premier League goals in 21 outings last term. Despite rumours linking him with a move to Hull City during the transfer window, Musa remains in the East Midlands, but is yet to play a single minute in the top flight this term. He scored against Sheffield United in the last round of the League Cup, and will be hoping to make his mark again when the Foxes host Liverpool - live on Kwesé TV - on Tuesday evening.  Georges-Kevin Nkoudou is yet to feature for Tottenham Hotspur this term, despite remaining at the club after rumours linking him with a move away during the transfer window. He struggled to impress last term, although with Spurs struggling to break teams down at Wembley, there's a case to be made that his pace and direct running could be valuable assets for the Lilywhites this term. Mauricio Pochettino has indicated that the Franco-Cameroonian wideman could play against Barnsley on Tuesday - either from the start or as a substitute - and that the former Olympique de Marseille forward can show his true colours this term after settling better in London.  Yaya Toure: 34-year-old Toure earned a new Manchester City contract during the summer after winning round Pep Guardiola last season. However, the legendary Ivorian powerhouse is yet to feature this term, and has complained about being "bewildered" by Guardiola's decision to freeze him out of the first-team picture again. It's starting to look like it will be even harder for the veteran to earn himself a role in the Sky Blues' first team this term, but if he has any hope, then he surely needs to work his way back into the manager's plans via cup competitions. Could the trip to West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday evening be the ideal opportunity for Toure to reaffirm his class?  Arthur Masuaku has been out of favour at West Ham United, with Slaven Bilic opting for Aaron Cresswell on the left side. The Democratic Republic of Congo full-back has made just one appearance in the league - in the 4-0 demolition by Manchester City - and having witnessed his shaky cup display against Cheltenham Town in late August, it's easy to understand why Bilic has lost faith. A home tie against Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday perhaps offers Masuaku a route back into the first team - for a night at least - but it would take something special for the unpredictable defender to win back the confidence of Irons supporters.  Wilfried Bony is hardly a fringe player like some of the other names on this list, but it's intriguing that he's been reduced to a substitute role at Swansea City since re-signing from Manchester City for £12 million on deadline day. Paul Clement has opted to keep faith with Jordan Ayew and Tammy Abraham in recent fixtures, but those two have scored just one goal each this term, and Swansea's away trip to Reading on Tuesday might be the ideal opportunity for Bony to prove what he's still capable of from the start of a match.
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