Carabao Cup quarter-final draw in full: Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and more learn next opponents

Ethan Nwaneri’s performance delighted Mikel Arteta but did not surprise him as the 17-year-old’s superb strike helped Arsenal to a 3-0 win over Preston and into the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.

The teenager bent in a fine first-half goal after Gabriel Jesus’s first strike since January had set Arsenal on their way, with substitute Kai Havertz adding the third early in the second half.

It was another stand-out Carabao Cup performance from academy product Nwaneri, who got his first senior goals with a brace in Arsenal’s 5-1 win over Bolton in the previous round. He might have had two at Deepdale too, but a late strike hit the crossbar.

“He did it yesterday in training too, so we’re getting used to that,” the Arsenal boss said.

“He’s a big talent, he’s got the right attitude, he’s got the right players and context around him and we need to make sure that we put brick by brick in the right tempo, in the right order, but we have some player there.”

Ruud van Nistelrooy always promised goals for Manchester United. There were 36 in his first season as a player, 44 in his second. There were seven in his first game as their interim manager, five of them for United. The third-lowest scorers in the Premier League, United discovered a prolific streak under him. If it is to prove his lone evening in charge of United, what a night for him.

It was a nostalgia trip when Van Nistelrooy headed down the tunnel at half-time to be serenaded by the Stretford End. The choruses of his name, the guttural growls of “Ruud”, may have transported them back to 2003, to a happier time, and if United can forever seek solace in their past, when actually needing to escape it, this was an enjoyable interlude before Ruben Amorim’s tenure begins, assuming it does and depending on when it actually starts.

In an entertaining, though otherwise probably unremarkable, fourth round League Cup match at Brighton, Liverpool boss Arne Slot perhaps gave an indication – and more importantly was shown the reasons – that there might now be the most significant early switch-up in his team over the coming weeks.

It was seen in minutes and in performance levels, in impact and in, to be frank, repeating what has perhaps been on show for several games now.

And it’s down the entirety of the left flank, where until now Andy Robertson and Luis Diaz have been the go-to starters. Both of those may now change.

The roar of relief was everything. Tottenham could not afford to mess up this opportunity but Ange Postecoglou’s side held firm, knocking Manchester City out of the Carabao Cup to hand Pep Guardiola’s team their first defeat of the season. Tottenham’s ability to self-destruct ensured this was still a gripping cup tie, even as City chased the game in second gear.

It was almost enough and although Bernardo Silva’s protests at full-time suggested City wanted to win this just as much as Spurs, the sight of Erling Haaland grinning on the bench, an unused substitute even as City trailed for over 90 minutes, told a different story.

Ruben Amorim has promised to clarify his future after Sporting Lisbon’s match on Friday evening as the highly-rated head coach’s move to Manchester United edges closer.

“It is a negotiation between two clubs,” Amorim said in English at Sporting’s pre-match press conference ahead of the gaame gainst Estrela da Amadora on Friday night.

“It’s never easy. Even with the clauses it’s never easy, they have to talk.

“We will have clarification after the game. It will be very clear, so it’s one more day. After the game tomorrow, we will have the decision made.”

Arne Slot believes Liverpool’s 3-2 Carabao Cup win at Brighton proves his team can function effectively without a recognised striker amid the club’s current injury issues.

With Diego Jota sidelined, midfielders Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai were tasked with supplementing the attacking threat of wide pair Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz at the Amex Stadium as Darwin Nunez was given a rest by beginning on the bench.

Slot, who made eight changes for the fourth-round tie, was satisfied with the experiment, but would prefer to play with a central striker as he turns his attention back to the Premier League.

“If you play those two (Jones and Szoboszlai) without a number nine, you are always a bit worried if you have enough runs in behind the last line because these two like also to play into the midfield and make combinations over there, to make triangles over there,” said Slot, whose team host Brighton in the top flight on Saturday.

“But I think what they did really well was combining, trying to become an extra midfielder, but don’t forget to make the deep runs as well.

“It helped that Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo were a constant threat in behind also, so in general I liked what I saw.”

Timo Werner aims to be more confident in front of goal after he scored for the first time in 18 matches to help Tottenham knock Manchester City out of the Carabao Cup.

Werner had endured a torrid run of form in recent weeks, with squandered chances against Manchester United, Ferencvaros and AZ Alkmaar, but ended his goal drought in style on Wednesday.

“It was a tough game. To score a goal after tough weeks for me was also very nice, especially to have it at home,” Werner said.

“How the crowd reacted, I think it was more not that they were like, ‘finally he did it,’ it was more like relief from them to me.

“They say, ‘we saw he will do it one day’. And finally I can do it. Yeah, the hard work at the end brought the success and I have to continue with that.

“When I saw the goal back, it was way more confident the shot and wanting to score this goal than all the other chances. I have to continue with that.”

Mikel Arteta was delighted with the attitude of his Arsenal players as they comfortably made their way into the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup with a 3-0 win at Preston on Wednesday night.

Coming off a 2-2 draw with Liverpool and ahead of a difficult run of away fixtures against Newcastle, Inter Milan and Chelsea, Arteta made eight changes to his side and was rewarded with a strong performance in which Arsenal always looked in complete control.

“(The attitude was) very good,” Arteta said. “We talked about that, about playing with enthusiasm in this game, playing with the right attitude and commitment and they certainly showed that so I’m very happy to be in the quarter-finals.”

Southampton vs Liverpool

Holders Liverpool will return to the south coast when they face Southampton in the quarter-finals, after beating Brighton in the fourth round. The Reds have not lost to Southampton in their last six meetings, dating back to a 1-0 defeat in January 2021.

Liverpool will visit St Mary’s on 24 November, following the international break. Southampton are winless in the Premier League, with one draw and eight defeats from nine games, but they will hope to get off the mark before the visit of Arne Slot’s side.

Liverpool and Southampton last met in the fifth round of the FA Cup last season, with the Reds winning 3-0. These teams also played a Carabao Cup semi-final in 2016/17, with Southampton winning both legs 1-0 to reach their first final since 1979.

Newcastle vs Brentford

Brentford have just one win against Newcastle in 75 years. Fortunately for Thomas Frank, that came in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup in 2020 as the Bees reached the semi-finals of the competition for the first time in their 131-year history.

Brentford went on to lose to Tottenham in the semi-finals and they will have to travel to St James’ Park for this season’s quarter-final, with Newcastle hoping to return to the Carabao Cup final after defeat to Manchester United two seasons ago.

Newcastle have won their last five matches against Brentford in the Premier League, including a 4-2 win on the last day of last season. They will visit Brentford in the Premier League on 7 December, two weeks before the Carabao Cup quarter-final.