Exciting Carabao Cup Third-Round Draw: Liverpool vs West Ham & Chelsea vs Barrow

Liverpool to Kick Off Carabao Cup Defense Against West Ham

Liverpool Football Club is gearing up to defend their Carabao Cup title as they prepare to face West Ham United at Anfield next month. This match marks the beginning of their campaign in the tournament that they won last season.

Understanding the Draw Process

Due to the expansions of the UEFA Champions League and Europa League scheduled for the 2024/25 season, the Carabao Cup third-round draw adopted a dual-bowl system to prevent scheduling conflicts. This innovative approach involved separating teams into two bowls:

• Bowl One: Included last season’s Champions League and Europa League participants: Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester United.
• Bowl Two: Consisted of the remaining 26 teams, ensuring that teams from the European competitions cannot clash in early rounds.

The six teams in Bowl One were drawn first to establish home or away fixtures, followed by the rest of the draw for the remaining ties.

Upcoming Fixtures Highlighted

Several intriguing matches are set for the Carabao Cup third round, scheduled for the weeks commencing September 16 and September 23. Some key fixtures include:

• Manchester City vs Watford: City faces a challenging match against the high-flying Hornets.
• Arsenal vs Bolton: This will be their first encounter since 2012.
• Manchester United vs Barnsley: The two clubs meet after a lengthy hiatus of 15 years.
• Aston Villa vs Wycombe: Villa will travel to League One side Wycombe.
• Tottenham vs Coventry: Spurs head to Championship side Coventry City.
• AFC Wimbledon vs Newcastle: League Two side AFC Wimbledon aims to upset Premier League giants Newcastle.
• Chelsea vs Barrow: Chelsea is set to meet Barrow in an exciting clash.

Complete Draw for Carabao Cup Third Round

Below is the complete list of fixtures for the third round:

• Liverpool vs West Ham
• Manchester City vs Watford
• Arsenal vs Bolton
• Manchester United vs Barnsley
• Wycombe vs Aston Villa
• Coventry vs Tottenham
• Walsall vs Leicester
• Brentford vs Leyton Orient
• Blackpool vs Sheffield Wednesday
• Preston vs Fulham
• Everton vs Southampton
• QPR vs Crystal Palace
• Stoke vs Fleetwood
• Brighton vs Wolves
• AFC Wimbledon vs Newcastle
• Chelsea vs Barrow

Key Tournament Dates

Fans should also mark their calendars for the following important dates in the Carabao Cup:

• Round Four: Week commencing October 28
• Quarter-Final: Week commencing December 16
• Semi-Final: First leg - Week commencing January 6, 2025; second leg - Week commencing February 3, 2025

Stay tuned for updates as the tournament progresses, and don’t miss the chance to watch the matches live on Sky Sports.