Caretaker manager Scott Marshall insists Aston Villa will not hold back against Leicester -- as incoming boss Tim Sherwood watches on.
Former Tottenham chief Sherwood has been appointed as Paul Lambert's successor after Villa acted quickly to replace the sacked Scot.
Marshall will take the team for Sunday's FA Cup visit of the Foxes, with Sherwood watching from the stands after signing a deal until 2018.
He has been charged with keeping Villa in the Premier League after they dropped into the bottom three on Tuesday.
The FA Cup remains a secondary priority for the club but Marshall insists they are ready for a battle after two previous games with Leicester this season saw three red cards.
Paul Konchesky was dismissed in the first game, only for the red card to be overturned, while Matty James and Ciaran Clark walked in Leicester's 1-0 win at the King Power Stadium last month.
James' tackle on Jores Okore sparked a late scuffle between the sides in January and Marshall wants Villa to impose themselves.
He said: "There's a lot at stake -- a quarterfinal place -- it'll be competitive and you don't want to take your foot out of anything.
"It's a Midlands derby, the clubs aren't far apart and it'll be a competitive game.
"I don't think there was much in the last one, certainly there was a bit of a gathering of the two teams but other than that there wasn't much."
Christian Benteke could return after being on the bench for the last two games of Lambert's reign while Ron Vlaar is fully fit after a knee problem.
Only Philippe Senderos (calf) and Libor Kozak (broken leg) are unavailable for the hosts.
Sherwood twice missed out on the West Brom job and was linked with QPR before they appointed Chris Ramsey -- Sherwood's own assistant at Tottenham -- as manager until the end of the season.
Lambert was sacked after two-and-a-half years in the role, having only signed a new four-year contract in September.
Villa have won just twice in their last 21 league games and are winless in 10 matches.
Chairman Randy Lerner acted after Tuesday's 2-0 defeat to Hull, which dropped Villa into the bottom three in the Barclays Premier League.
Sherwood said: "It is a great honour to manage one of the biggest clubs in English football.
"I can't wait to get started and I'm really looking forward to the challenge."
Lerner also told the club's official site: "While being forever conscious of the frustrations that we all suffer, we feel that a change that offers a positive, fresh approach will be very good for the club.
"I know that Tom [Fox - Villa's chief executive] and many others at Villa worked very hard to recruit Tim in the face of severely limited time constraints and pounding pressure.
"More importantly, I know further that internally we remain focused and committed to challenges we face, and I am deeply appreciative for that."