Carabao Cup second-round draw features Chelsea vs Luton and Tottenham vs Charlton
The draw for the second round of the Carabao Cup has been announced, setting up several notable fixtures. Among the matchups, five-time winners Chelsea are scheduled to host League One Luton at Stamford Bridge. Meanwhile, Tottenham will play against Championship side Charlton.
In another significant fixture, four-time winners Nottingham Forest will face Leeds in what is the only all-Premier League tie of this round. This match is part of a draw that was regionalised into northern and southern sections, a common practice for the early rounds of the competition.
Key Fixtures and Managerial Returns
The second round also includes a return for David Moyes to Deepdale, as his Everton team visits Preston North End. Moyes began his managerial career at Preston, adding a layer of personal history to the encounter. Elsewhere, Newcastle is set to compete against second-tier club West Bromwich Albion, and Fulham will host AFC Wimbledon at Craven Cottage.
Other fixtures in the southern section include Brentford facing an away trip to Birmingham City, and Ipswich playing against League One Leicester. West Ham, who recently defeated Portsmouth in the first round, will travel to fellow Championship side Southampton. All second-round matches are scheduled to take place during the midweek of the week commencing Monday, 24 August.
The draw was broadcast live during the build-up to the Plymouth Argyle versus Exeter City match on Sky Sports Football. Sky Sports presenter David Prutton hosted the event, joined by pundits Jobi McAnuff and Jamie Mackie. This round marks the entry of the 11 Premier League Clubs that are not participating in European competitions this season.
Fixture Complications for Chelsea and Fulham
The scheduling of the Carabao Cup second-round ties has created potential complications, particularly for Chelsea and Fulham. Both clubs were drawn to play at home, which presents a challenge as teams are generally not supposed to play at home on the same day. This situation arose after Sky Sports selected a Premier League match between Fulham and Chelsea for live broadcast on Monday, 24 August.
Since both Fulham and Chelsea are not involved in European competitions, they enter the Carabao Cup in the second round, potentially requiring them to play two games within the same midweek period. Ordinarily, this would mean their EFL Cup ties would be moved to the Thursday, allowing for 72 hours of rest. However, such a change could impact the Premier League’s weekend schedule.
As a result of these scheduling conflicts, Fulham’s match at Sunderland, which was not initially selected for television broadcast, was switched to the Sunday. Similarly, Chelsea’s match against Brighton was chosen by Sky for the Sunday. The home draws for both clubs in the Carabao Cup mean that either police concessions will be necessary, or the EFL will need to find alternative solutions.
Further knock-on effects are anticipated for several EFL clubs. The opponents of Fulham and Chelsea in the Carabao Cup, Wimbledon and Luton respectively, have League One fixtures scheduled for the Saturday following their cup ties. If their Carabao Cup matches are moved to Thursday, their Saturday League One games would typically be rescheduled to Sunday.
An additional complication arises with a full programme of League One games scheduled for the following Tuesday, 1 September. This could impact up to four matches, potentially requiring them to be moved to Wednesday. This scenario could lead to teams playing two games within 48 hours, or supporters facing disruptions to their travel arrangements due to displaced games. The games potentially impacted on Saturday, 29 August include Wimbledon versus Wigan and Mansfield versus Luton. The matches on Tuesday, 1 September that could be affected are Burton versus Wimbledon, Wigan versus MK Dons, Luton versus Stockport, and Reading versus Mansfield.
Northern Section Draw Details
The northern section of the draw features a range of fixtures, including the all-Premier League clash between Nottingham Forest and Leeds. Other matches in this section include Stoke against Hull, and Blackburn facing Sheffield United. Fleetwood will play Shrewsbury, while Bradford is set to meet Burnley. Sheffield Wednesday will host Wolves, and Blackpool will take on Lincoln. Preston is scheduled to play Everton, Barnsley will face Crewe, and Doncaster is drawn against Middlesbrough.
The nine English clubs participating in European competitions this season will enter the Carabao Cup in the third round. The second round matches are all due to be played in the week commencing Monday, 24 August.
Source: bbc.co.uk