EFL reveal crucial Carabao Cup update impacting Newcastle United & Bradford City
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Newcastle United v Bradford City: This is when Newcastle United or Bradford City will discover their Carabao Cup Round Four opponents.
Newcastle United’s defence of the Carabao Cup gets underway against Bradford City tonight at St James’ Park. Eddie Howe’s side will be desperate to avoid an upset at the hands of the League One leaders when they take to the field tonight.
Whilst Newcastle United play their first Carabao Cup match of the campaign tonight, the Bantams have already played twice to reach this stage of the competition. They defeated Championship opposition in the form of Blackburn Rovers in Round One, before completing a second-tier double when they routed Stoke City, then flying high in the Championship, 3-0 in Round Two.
Graham Alexander’s side have won five of their last six matches in all competitions, with their last two games ending in 3-1 wins over early-season promotion favourites Cardiff City and Huddersfield Town. Bradford, memorably, defeated Arsenal and Aston Villa in the 2013 League Cup to reach the final of that competition, only to fall at the hands of Premier League side Swansea City.
Former Magpie Wayne Routledge and future Newcastle United midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng featured for the Swans on that day.
EFL reveal Carabao Cup Round Four draw details
Round Three of the Carabao Cup has been split over two weeks because of scheduling of the Champions League and Europa League. Newcastle United’s participation in the former meant that they were among eight seeded teams and could not be drawn against those also competing in European competition, hence their tie against the Bantams.
That rule only impacted Round Three of the competition and tonight’s winners, whoever they are, can be drawn against any of the other 16 winners from this latest round of action. Grimsby Town, Brentford, Swansea City and Crystal Palace secured their progress to Round Four last week, whilst eight games were played last night.
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Wolves, Chelsea, Fulham, Wycombe Wanderers, Brighton and Hove Albion, Cardiff City, Wrexham and Liverpool progressed from those matches.
Huddersfield Town and Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Doncaster Rovers and Arsenal and Port Vale will compete for the remaining places in the Round Four draw this evening.
The draw for Round Four will take place following the game between Arsenal and Port Vale. That match will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event with the draw also being shown on that channel.
Round Four of the Carabao Cup will take place on the week commencing 27 October. For Newcastle United, if they progress tonight against Bradford City, that game will come in between their Premier League matches against Fulham (Saturday 25 October) and West Ham (Sunday 2 November).
Newcastle United’s clash with Bradford tonight will be shown on Sky Sports Football. All Carabao Cup games will be shown live on TV in the United Kingdom this season with Sky Sports + the channel to visit if not selected for main channel coverage.