Liverpool and Manchester City have been drawn together for the fourth round of the Carabao Cup. The Reds narrowly edged Derby County earlier this week to advance to the fourth round. Backup goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher made three saves during the penalty shootout to help his club move on to the next round.
City, on the other hand, beat fellow Premier League powerhouse Chelsea 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium in the previous round of the competition. Goals from Riyad Mahrez and Julian Alvarez guided the Citizens past the struggling Blues.
Big Premier League clubs are dropping from the competition
The matchup means that there will be a maximum of just two Premier League ‘Big Six’ teams in the quarterfinals of the Carabao Cup. Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur were all knocked out of the tournament this week.
Manchester United were also in the fourth round draw as well. The Red Devils will host Championship side Burnley. United previously advanced after winning a thrilling 4-2 match at Old Trafford against Aston Villa. In 2021/22, Burnley suffered relegation from the Premier League. However, under new boss Vincent Kompany, Burnley is flying. In fact, the club sits atop the Championship table with 38 points after 20 games.
Carabao Cup schedule could be an issue
The schedule for the fourth round of the Carabao Cup is just days after the World Cup ends. Premier League matches return on Boxing Day. Therefore, these cup games most likely happen on or around Dec. 21. The 2022 World Cup Final in Qatar will take place on Dec. 18.
New Wolves boss Julien Lopetegui will finally get to coach the club for the first time during this competition. The West Midlands team drew League Two side Gillingham. The Gills are currently the lowest-ranked team still competing in the Carabao Cup.
Full fourth round draw of the Carabao Cup:
Wolves-Gillingham
Southampton-Lincoln City
Blackburn Rovers-Nottingham Forest
Newcastle-Bournemouth
Manchester City-Liverpool
Manchester United-Burnley
MK Dons-Leicester
Charlton-Brighton
PHOTO: IMAGO / Action Plus
