Liverpool to host Tottenham in third round of Carabao Cup

The draw for the third round of the Carabao Cup has thrown up a heavyweight meeting between Liverpool and Tottenham. The tie will take place during the weeks beginning Monday 7 and Monday 14 September, when clubs involved in European competitions enter the tournament. Elsewhere, holders Manchester City host Norwich and Manchester United face Brighton.

• Liverpool and Tottenham headline the third round draw with a Premier League showdown.
• Holders Manchester City start their defence at home to Norwich, while Manchester United play Brighton.
• All nine Premier League clubs in European competition enter the Carabao Cup at this stage.
• Fixtures are spread over two weeks to avoid clashes with the opening rounds of the Champions League and Europa League.
• Chelsea and Fulham complete the draw on Thursday against Luton and AFC Wimbledon respectively.

Liverpool vs Tottenham stands out from the Carabao Cup third round draw

The meeting between Liverpool and Tottenham is the most eye-catching tie of the round. Both clubs now enter the competition after featuring in European action last season. The single-leg tie will pit two of the deepest squads in the Premier League against each other in a tournament that typically gives fringe players an opportunity to impress.

Manchester City begin their Carabao Cup title defence against Norwich

Manchester City start their bid to retain the Carabao Cup with a home tie against Norwich. Pep Guardiola's side has dominated this competition in recent seasons, reaching multiple consecutive finals. Norwich will travel to the Etihad Stadium aiming to pull off one of the biggest shocks of the round.

Manchester United face Brighton and Leeds could meet Chelsea

The draw has given Manchester United an all-Premier League tie against Brighton. Leeds, meanwhile, could face Chelsea if the London club overcome Luton in their second round match on Thursday. Should Chelsea go through, that potential meeting would add another top-flight contest to the third round.

How European clubs enter the League Cup

The nine Premier League teams involved in European competitions are exempt from the first two rounds of the Carabao Cup. Arsenal, Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Brighton, Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Sunderland all enter directly at the third round stage. The arrangement is designed to ease the fixture burden for clubs with continental commitments.

Two-week schedule avoids clashes with Champions League and Europa League

The EFL has split the third round fixtures across the weeks commencing Monday 7 and Monday 14 September. This prevents Carabao Cup matches from overlapping with the opening group stage games of the Champions League and Europa League. Teams carrying the heaviest international workloads will therefore have more recovery time between fixtures.

Fleetwood, the last fourth-tier side, host Sheffield United

Fleetwood Town are the only League Two club left in the competition after navigating two rounds. Their reward is a home tie against Championship side Sheffield United. For the fourth-tier outfit, the fixture represents a chance to test themselves against established opposition and extend a memorable cup run.

Final spots decided on Thursday at Stamford Bridge and Craven Cottage

The third round line-up will not be complete until Thursday night. Chelsea host Luton at 19:30 BST at Stamford Bridge, while Fulham take on AFC Wimbledon at 20:00 BST at Craven Cottage. The winners of both ties will fill the two remaining places and discover their next opponents.

In other second round action already completed, Tottenham bounced back to beat Charlton with a debut goal from Savio, while Barry scored his first Everton hat-trick in a commanding cup victory at Preston.