EFL Cup: Premier League sides secure places in fourth round
By Joel Masibo, September 10, 2026The Carabao Cup third round is now in progress, with the opening batch of matches completed and the rest scheduled for next week.
Several Premier League teams have already booked their places in the fourth round, while more top-flight clubs will join them after the remaining ties are played.
Two fixtures between Premier League sides have been confirmed for this stage, with four more all-English clashes still to be contested. Among the standout remaining games is Liverpool’s meeting with Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield.
Carabao Cup third-round results and fixtures are as follows:
Tuesday, 8 September, 2026
Crystal Palace advanced with a convincing 3-0 victory over Middlesbrough.
Sunderland edged Hull City 1-0, while Bournemouth comfortably defeated Lincoln City 4-0.
Bradford City claimed a 3-1 away win against Leyton Orient.
Newcastle United also progressed after beating Millwall 1-0
Chelsea produced a nine-goal thriller at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, overcoming Leeds United 6-3 to reach the next stage.
Tuesday, 15 September, 2026
Peterborough United v Barnsley
West Ham United v Fulham
Reading v Brentford
Ipswich Town v Arsenal
Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur
Wednesday, 16 September, 2026
Everton v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Manchester United v Brighton & Hove Albion
Coventry City v Aston Villa
Fleetwood Town v Sheffield United
Thursday, 17 September, 2026
Manchester City v Norwich City: The eight Premier League clubs involved in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League were separated during the third-round draw to help accommodate their European commitments.
Because UEFA matches cannot be moved and the Carabao Cup ties are being spread across two weeks in September, the draw included specific conditions to ensure the affected teams could play their domestic cup fixtures without clashing with their European schedules.
The fourth-round draw is scheduled for Wednesday, September 16, 2026, after Manchester United’s match against Brighton.
Crystal Palace, Sunderland, Bournemouth, Newcastle United, Bradford City and Chelsea, along with the winners of the outstanding third-round fixtures, will then learn who they will face in the next round.