The Carabao Cup fourth round takes place over two evenings this week, with 16 teams left in the competition.
While the Premier League’s best have dominated in recent years, there’s at least guaranteed to be some English Football League (EFL) representation in this season’s quarterfinals.
For those competing in Europe, just two Carabao Cup victories garner a berth in the last eight, but some have ground their way through the rounds since August to maintain their dreams of a Wembley day out.
11 of the 16 that remain are competing in the top flight, and only Manchester United from the ’Big Six’ have exited the competition, doing so in some style to League Two Grimsby Town in the second round. The Mariners have since progressed in the fourth round for the first time since 2001–02, but will their remarkable cup journey continue into the quarters?
Here are Sports Illustrated’s Carabao Cup fourth round predictions.
Tuesday, Oct. 28: Wrexham Aiming to Extend Cup Run
The action kicks off with three games on Tuesday evening, with four of the five remaining EFL teams involved.
After defeating United on penalties at the end of August, David Artell’s Grimsby edged past Sheffield Wednesday, who have since gone into administration, in the third round, courtesy of a Jeze Kabia strike just after half-time. The Mariners are sixth in League Two and back at Blundell Park for their fourth round tie against Brentford.
A dominant performance against West Ham United and a 3–2 win over Premier League champions Liverpool means the Bees enter Tuesday’s fixture in a buoyant mood. They’ve been quarterfinalists in three of the previous five seasons, and will fancy their chances of avoiding a major upset in Cleethorpes.
There’s certainly less assurance about Fulham at the moment, given that they lost their fourth league game on the bounce at the weekend. They squeaked past Cambridge United in the previous round and are now facing a Wycombe Wanderers outfit, who may be 17th in League One but are unbeaten in five.
Cardiff City’s priority is to return to the Championship this season, and the Bluebirds are leading the way in the third tier. Wrexham, meanwhile, will fancy a cup run off the back of three consecutive promotions. They won’t be tearing up the Premier League anytime soon, with consolidation in the second tier more likely this term.
They’ve enjoyed a dramatic start to their Carabao Cup campaign and are welcoming their Welsh rivals to the Racecourse Ground on Tuesday night. These two clubs haven’t faced off in a competitive fixture since 2002.
Wednesday, Oct. 29: Premier League Big Boys in Action
Newcastle United brought the ’Big Six’s’ hold over the Carabao Cup to an end earlier this year, downing Liverpool 2–1 at Wembley to win their first major domestic trophy since 1955.
The previous non-’Big Six’ lifter of the trophy was Swansea City in 2013, and the Welsh side are still in the competition after they staged a stunning comeback from 2–0 down against Nottingham Forest in the third round.
The Swans welcome eight-time winners Manchester City to South Wales on Wednesday evening. The Cityzens eased past Huddersfield Town to set up this tie, but Aston Villa halted their winning run at the weekend.
The rest of Wednesday’s action is all-Premier League affairs. Holders Newcastle welcome set-piece deviants Tottenham Hotspur to St. James’ Park for the evening’s later kick-off, with Spurs aiming to win on Tyneside for the first time since 2021. Tanguy Ndombélé starred in a 3–2 win for Nuno Espírito Santo’s Lilywhites on their previous success at Newcastle’s home ground.
Brighton & Hove Albion knocked Arsenal out of this competition in the 2022–23 season, when the Gunners were leading the way in the Premier League, so history may repeat itself here. However, Mikel Arteta’s squad is much deeper now compared to three seasons ago, when Karl Hein and Albert Sambi Lokonga started for the home side.
Wolverhampton Wanderers are winless in the Premier League, but they have beaten two top-flight rivals in West Ham United and Everton to reach the fourth round. Chelsea, off the back of a stunning home defeat to Sunderland, are up next for Vitor Pereira’s men.
Liverpool faltered again at the weekend, succumbing to their fourth successive league defeat. Some have suggested that they’re already out of the title race, so it may be the domestic cups which offer salvation this season. However, they’re facing the team that ignited their slump, Crystal Palace, at Anfield on Wednesday.
Palace haven’t won since their 19-game unbeaten run was ended before the October international break.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Carabao Cup Predictions: Fourth Round.