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

Crystal Palace’s victory over Aston Villa was another step in the right direction after they followed up their Premier League win over Tottenham at the weekend.

It came at a cost, though, as Eberechi Eze limped off with a hamstring injury and was soon followed by Adam Wharton in a concern ahead of a crunch game at Wolves on Saturday.

“It is a problem with the hamstring, we don’t know how serious it is,” manager Oliver Glasner said. “But the muscle (injury) is not always the best information you can get. Ebs is too early to tell.

“He wanted to come off, he signalled to come off. He said it was not possible to carry on. I hope it is not too serious, but I don’t know. It’s not the best information I got today that Ebs had to leave the pitch.

“Adam is a more positive one because it is nothing new. We spoke about it many times, he has had groin problems for many months. We thought he needed a break today but he gave the thumbs up and said he was fine.”

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,” Arteta 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.”

Manchester United finally “had some luck” as they put five goals past Leicester, according to Ruud van Nistelrooy.

“Five goals but I have to say the chances against West Ham, Fenerbahce and Crystal Palace, we created so much more bigger chances and couldn’t finish,” he said.

“All of a sudden we had some luck on our side and that made it a great night. It is always the target to react and go straight back into attack ourselves.

“But I have to say the reaction of players after the Leicester goals were excellent and they deserve the credit. I am glad the crowd go home with a nice night of football.”

Enzo Maresca defended his team selection after Chelsea were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Newcastle, four days after they had beaten the same opposition in the Premier League.

Maresca named an entirely different starting XI from the weekend’s league clash, a decision he defended post-match: “I think it works if we analyse the performance, if we analyse the result it didn’t work, but for 22-23 minutes, until their goal, we were in control.

“Then after the goal we lost control for 10 minutes, where we also conceded the second one. Again, the last 10 minutes of first half we had two clear chances that unfortunately we didn’t score. Second half we were in control of the game.

“The most important thing is the result. But the performance, I think we lost the game because of 10 minutes after the first goal we conceded, then for the rest we were quite good.”

Ange Postecoglou said he was not thinking about “forward steps” after beating Manchester City to advance to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals but said he is seeing the growth in his Tottenham team.

“We’re just going to keep working on what we’ve been doing and keep believing in the process of what we’re trying to build,” Postecoglou said after the 2-1 win.

“The key thing for us was obviously the victory. In a cup competition, ultimately, that’s the main thing. You’ve got to win to keep going. And the fact that it was against a formidable opponent is great for the whole group.

“I continue to see growth in this group of players and this team. I want them to have these moments because I know how important it is to accelerate the growth.”

Pep Guardiola claimed Manchester City were in trouble after they suffered further injuries in a 2-1 loss at Tottenham in the Carabao Cup to leave them with only 13 first-team players available.

Already without Kyle Walker, Rodri, Oscar Bobb, Jeremy Doku, Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish for the fourth-round tie, Manuel Akanji was withdrawn ahead of kick-off before Savinho left on a stretcher in the second half.

“We have 13 players (available) so we are in real difficulty,” Guardiola said. “I think when we are in trouble, like we are because in nine years it never happen this situation with many, many injuries for many, many reasons, in these situations, the players they make a step forward and they are more together than ever and they will try to do this week in this short time to recover.

“It’s tough. Akanji yesterday, I didn’t know it, in the last action felt something in the muscular part of his body and today in the warm-up he didn’t feel good. He said he could take a risk and I said no, no risk.

“That’s why the guys who are here and making an effort to be with us, fighting to be with us and playing with pain and focus for us, these guys I will not forget it.”

Manchester United finally “had some luck” as they put five goals past Leicester, according to Ruud van Nistelrooy.

“Five goals but I have to say the chances against West Ham, Fenerbahce and Crystal Palace, we created so much more bigger chances and couldn’t finish,” he said.

“All of a sudden we had some luck on our side and that made it a great night. It is always the target to react and go straight back into attack ourselves.

“But I have to say the reaction of players after the Leicester goals were excellent and they deserve the credit. I am glad the crowd go home with a nice night of football.”

Ruud van Nistelrooy has indicated he wants to be a part of Ruben Amorim’s new coaching set-up after the interim Manchester United manager oversaw an entertaining Carabao Cup win against Leicester.

Asked if he is happy to remain in interim charge as negotiations for Amorim continue, Van Nistelrooy told Sky Sports: “Of course – I came here as an assistant to help the club.

“Now in this role I’m helping as long as I’m needed. And in the future in any capacity, I’m here to help the club further, to build towards the future and that’s what I’m here for.”

Pushed on whether he wants to be part of the new coaching set-up at United, the former striker said: “As I said, I’m here to help, I’m here to serve, I’m here to give my everything for the club in any capacity with so many people here around me that want the best for the club and that will never change.”

Arsenal

14 Dec: Everton (H)

18 Dec: Crystal Palace (H)

21 Dec: Crystal Palace (A)

Brentford

15 Dec: Chelsea (A)

18 Dec: Newcastle (A)

21 Dec: Nott’m Forest (H)

Crystal Palace

15 Dec: Brighton (A)

18 Dec: Arsenal (A)

21 Dec: Arsenal (H)

Liverpool

14 Dec: Fulham (H)

18 Dec: Southampton (A)

22 Dec: Tottenham (A)

Newcastle

14 Dec: Leicester (H)

18 Dec: Brentford (H)

21 Dec: Ipswich Town (A)

Manchester United

15 Dec: Man City (A)

18 Dec: Tottenham (A)

21 Dec: Bournemouth (H)

Tottenham

15 Dec: Southampton (A)

18 Dec: Manchester United (H)

22 Dec: Liverpool (H)

Southampton

15 Dec: Tottenham (H)

18 Dec: Liverpool (H)

22 Dec: Fulham (A)

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery had no regrets about his team selection after watching his much-changed side crash out of the Carabao Cup to Crystal Palace.

Emery made wholesale changes to his line-up, with Ollie Watkins, Emiliano Martinez, Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers, Amadou Onana and Ross Barkley not even in the matchday squad.

Emery insisted he would pick the same side if he played the match 100 times again.

“We started with 11 players in the first-team squad,” he said.

“Of course I am disappointed and frustrated, but we competed with the players to get the performance.

“If I am repeating this match 100 times I am playing with the same players.”