Holders Liverpool and eight-time winners Manchester City have been given tricky away ties for the fourth round of the EFL Cup.
Liverpool and Manchester City have been drawn away against Brighton & Hove Albion and Tottenham Hotspur respectively in the fourth round of the EFL Cup.
The Reds kicked off their defence of the EFL Cup with a dominant display in Wednesday’s third-round tie against West Ham United at Anfield.
Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo netted braces alongside a Mohamed Salah effort to condemn 10-man West Ham to a heavy 5-1 defeat.
Arne Slot‘s troops will head on their travels in the fourth round after being drawn against fellow Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion.
As a result, the Reds will travel to the Amex Stadium just days before they welcome the Seagulls to Anfield for a Premier League fixture.
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Man City given Tottenham test
Meanwhile, Man City boss Pep Guardiola is bidding to win the competition for a fifth time after previously lifting the trophy in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.
After seeing his team edge out Watford on Tuesday, Guardiola will take his side to North London for next month’s fourth-round matchup against Tottenham.
The cup tie represents the first time the two sides will face each other since Man City recorded a 2-0 victory in May’s Premier League clash to effectively quash Arsenal‘s hopes of winning the title.
The Citizens last faced Tottenham in the EFL Cup in the 2020-21 final when Aymeric Laporte scored an 82nd-minute winner against a Spurs side managed by Ryan Mason following the sacking of Jose Mourinho.
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Man United handed home tie
Elsewhere, Man United will welcome Leicester City to Old Trafford, while Aston Villa will face Crystal Palace in the other all-Premier League tie.
Arsenal will travel to Deepdale for their first meeting with Championship Preston North End since the two sides met in the third round of the FA Cup in January 2017.
Brentford will welcome Sheffield Wednesday to the Gtech Community Stadium, while Chelsea will be on the road for a tie against either AFC Wimbledon or Newcastle United.
That fixture will take place at St James’ Park on October 1 after it had to be rearranged and moved due to flooding at Wimbledon’s Cherry Records Stadium.
The eighth fourth-round games will take place on the week commencing 28 October.
EFL Cup fourth-round ties in full
Brentford vs. Sheffield Wednesday
Southampton vs. Stoke
Tottenham vs. Manchester City
AFC Wimbledon or Newcastle vs. Chelsea
Manchester United vs. Leicester
Brighton vs. Liverpool
Preston vs. Arsenal
Aston Villa vs. Crystal Palace