Three of the eight quarterfinalists have been established after the Carabao Cup fourth round got underway on Tuesday night.
Grimsby Town’s fairytale adventure, which included that unforgettable triumph over Manchester United in the second round, was brought to an abrupt conclusion by Brentford, who cruised to a 5–0 thumping.
Third-tier Wycombe Wanderers pushed Fulham all the way to penalties only to be undone by the spot-kick saving heroics of Benjamin Lecomte. Cardiff City ensured that there would be some League One representation in the quarterfinals, downing Welsh rivals Wrexham 2–1 at the Racecourse.
The last time Cardiff made it through to the EFL Cup final eight (2011–12), they went all the way to the final. There will be a glut of Premier League clubs blocking their path to Wembley this year as a stacked conclusion of fourth round ties is played out on Wednesday night.
The team who won last season’s Carabao Cup, the defending Premier League title winners, current top-flight leaders and world club champions are all in action tonight. And that’s even including Manchester City.
Here are Sports Illustrated’s guide to this blockbuster night of action.
Arsenal are one of five ’Big Six’ members involved in Wednesday’s cup ties. / Molly Darlington/AMA/Getty Images
Newcastle United brought the ’Big Six’s’ hold over the Carabao Cup to an end earlier this year, downing Liverpool 2–1 at Wembley to win their first major domestic trophy since 1955.
The previous non-’Big Six’ lifter of the trophy was Swansea City in 2013, and the Welsh side are still in the competition after they staged a stunning comeback from 2–0 down against Nottingham Forest in the third round.
The Swans welcome eight-time winners Manchester City to South Wales on Wednesday evening. The Cityzens eased past Huddersfield Town to set up this tie, but Aston Villa halted their winning run at the weekend.
The rest of Wednesday’s action is all-Premier League affairs. Holders Newcastle welcome set-piece deviants Tottenham Hotspur to St James’ Park for the evening’s later kick-off, with Spurs aiming to win on Tyneside for the first time since 2021. Tanguy Ndombélé starred in a 3–2 win for Nuno Espírito Santo’s Lilywhites on their previous success at Newcastle’s home ground.
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Brighton & Hove Albion knocked Arsenal out of this competition in the 2022–23 season, when the Gunners were leading the way in the Premier League, so history may repeat itself here. However, Mikel Arteta’s squad is much deeper now compared to three seasons ago, when Karl Hein and Albert Sambi Lokonga started for the home side.
Wolverhampton Wanderers are winless in the Premier League, but they have beaten two top-flight rivals in West Ham United and Everton to reach the fourth round. Chelsea, off the back of a stunning home defeat to Sunderland, are up next for Vitor Pereira’s men.
Liverpool faltered again at the weekend, succumbing to their fourth successive league defeat. Some have suggested that they’re already out of the title race, so it may be the domestic cups which offer salvation this season. However, they’re facing the team that ignited their slump, Crystal Palace, at Anfield on Wednesday.
Palace haven’t won since their 19-game unbeaten run was ended before the October international break.
Kick-Off Time
Fixture
Prediction
7.45 p.m. BST / 2.45 p.m. ET
Arsenal vs. Brighton
2–1
7.45 p.m. BST / 2.45 p.m. ET
Liverpool vs. Crystal Palace
1–1 (Liverpool win on penalties)
7.45 p.m. BST / 2.45 p.m. ET
Swansea vs. Man City
0–2
7.45 p.m. BST / 2.45 p.m. ET
Wolves vs. Chelsea
1–2
8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET
Newcastle vs. Tottenham
2–1
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