Brighton Awaits Manchester City, Chelsea Set Up Liverpool Cracker Headlines Carabao Cup Round of 16 Draws as Arsenal Face Fleetwood
Manchester City will begin their Carabao Cup title defence against Norwich City at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday, with Brighton & Hove Albion waiting in the fourth round for the winner.
The reigning champions enter the competition at the third-round stage and will close out the round when they welcome Championship side Norwich to Manchester in a 7:30pm BST kick-off.
City lifted the trophy for a ninth time last season after beating Arsenal 2-0 in the final, leaving them one title behind Liverpool’s competition record of 10 triumphs.
The holders will be expected to negotiate a Norwich side that has already reached the third round by winning away at MK Dons and Cardiff City.
Philippe Clement’s Norwich currently sit 12th in the Championship and arrive at the Etihad looking to produce another cup upset against one of England’s leading clubs.
For City, the fixture comes just days after an energy-sapping Manchester derby victory over Manchester United.
Erling Haaland scored the decisive goal as City secured a 1-0 victory despite playing for more than an hour with 10 men following Phil Foden’s dismissal.
Foden will miss Thursday’s Carabao Cup encounter while serving a three-match suspension. Manager Enzo Maresca also confirmed that Jeremy Doku remains unavailable, although the Belgian winger is considered close to a return.
The Norwich fixture therefore provides an opportunity for City to rotate their squad while maintaining their pursuit of another domestic cup campaign.
Brighton Waiting in the Last 16
The fourth-round draw, conducted on Wednesday night, has already mapped out City’s potential route.
The winner of Manchester City vs Norwich City will host Brighton & Hove Albion in the last 16, with the fourth-round ties scheduled for the week commencing October 26.
Brighton secured their place in dramatic fashion by recovering from two goals down to beat Manchester United 3-2 at Old Trafford.
The Seagulls’ comeback means either City or Norwich will face a side that has already eliminated one Premier League heavyweight from this season’s competition.
For City, progression would set up another Premier League encounter in a competition they have dominated in recent years. For Norwich, victory would transform Thursday’s contest into an opportunity to host Brighton and move into the quarter-final conversation.
Liverpool, Chelsea Handed Blockbuster Tie
The headline fixture of the fourth round will take place at Anfield, where Liverpool will host Chelsea.
Liverpool booked their last-16 place with a 3-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, while Chelsea advanced after an extraordinary 6-3 win over Leeds United.
The meeting brings together two clubs with a significant history in the competition, setting up one of the most anticipated ties of the round.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have been handed an away trip to League Two outfit Fleetwood Town.
Fleetwood earned their place in the last 16 with a 1-0 victory over Sheffield United, setting up a meeting with the reigning Premier League champions.
Carabao Cup Fourth-Round Draw
- Fleetwood Town vs Arsenal
- Manchester City or Norwich City vs Brighton & Hove Albion
- Everton vs Newcastle United
- Sunderland vs Brentford
- Liverpool vs Chelsea
- Bradford City vs Peterborough United
- Fulham vs Crystal Palace
- Bournemouth vs Aston Villa
All fourth-round ties will be played in the week commencing October 26, 2026.
