The 2024/25 Carabao Cup 4th round draw has been conducted and there are several fascinating matches on the cards.
Liverpool And Manchester City Handed Tough Battles
Liverpool, who smashed West Ham United 3-1 in the 3rd round, and Manchester City, who eased past Watford with a 2-1 win, will be involved in huge battles in the next round, with the Reds facing Brighton, while Pep Guardiola’s side will trade tackles with Tottenham Hotspur.
Brentford have been drawn against Championship side Sheffield Wednesday, while Southampton will slug it out with Stoke City in the 4th round of the Carabao Cup.
The Red Devils Have A Date With The Foxes At Old Trafford
Manchester United, who battered Barnsley 7-0 to progress to the 4th round, have also been scheduled to face Leicester City in an all-Premier League affair.
Meanwhile, Arsenal had a favorable draw on paper, with the Gunners, who smashed Bolton Wanderers 5-1 in the 3rd round, drawn against Championship side Preston North End.
Chelsea To Square Up Against Either AFC Wimbledon Or Newcastle United In The 2024/25 Carabao Cup 4th Round
Unai Emery’s Aston Villa will also square up against Crystal Palace in another all-Premier League meeting, while Chelsea, who thumped Barrow 5-0 on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, will have to wait for the winner of the game between Newcastle United and AFC Wimbledon to know their 4th round opposition.
The clash between Newcastle United and AFC Wimbledon has been rescheduled for October 1, 2024, and it will now take place at St James’ Park due to a flooding issue that affected the stadium of the Wombles.
The clash between the Magpies and the Wombles was previously slated to take place on Wednesday, September 25, 2024.
The EFL Cup fourth-round clashes are due to be played in the week commencing October 28, 2024.
How Many Non-Premier League Teams Remain In The 2024/25 EFL Cup?
There are 4 teams outside of the Premier League remaining in the competition, and they are AFC Wimbledon, Preston North End, Sheffield Wednesday, and Stock City.
It will be fascinating to see how they fare, with the last team to win the competition while featuring outside the Premier League being Sheffield Wednesday.
Sheffield Wednesday, then in the Second Division, became the last club to win the EFL Cup while competing outside the First Division, when they defeated Manchester United in the final in 1991.
Note: AFC Wimbledon are part of the group of non-Premier League teams still in the competition due to them not prosecuting their EFL Cup 3rd round clash yet.
Who Are The Current Holders Of The EFL Cup Title?
Liverpool are the defending champions of the competition, having defeated Chelsea 1-0 in the final play in February 2024.
The Reds have also won the EFL Cup the most times (10) since the competition was founded in 1960.
Why Do Teams Want To Win The Carabao Cup?
Several teams will be aiming to get their hands on the crown as it offers them bragging rights despite not bringing much in terms of prize money.
What Is The Prize Money For Winning The 2024/25 Carabao Cup?
League Cup winners receive £100,000 prize money (awarded by the Football League) with the runners-up getting £50,000.
Carabao Cup Fourth-round Matches
Brentford v Sheffield Wednesday
Southampton FC v Stoke City
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City
AFC Wimbledon or Newcastle United vs Chelsea
Manchester United v Leicester City
Brighton v Liverpool
Preston North End v Arsenal
Aston Villa v Crystal Palace