League Cup Preview: Everything You Need to Know About This Week’s EFL Cup Ties

As the EFL Cup returns this week, EPLNews takes a closer look at the Premier League clubs’ fixtures and their upcoming opponents.

Among the 16 teams still standing, 11 are Premier League sides, including Newcastle United, the winners of last season’s competition.

Here is a complete breakdown of the seven fourth-round ties featuring at least one top-flight club.

Grimsby Town vs Brentford – Tuesday 28 October, 19:45 GMT

This campaign was always going to test new Brentford manager Keith Andrews, who lost several key players over the summer. Yet his team approach this EFL Cup tie buoyed by a thrilling 3-2 win over Premier League champions Liverpool, lifting them to 11th place in the table.

Saturday’s result followed up their victory against West Ham United, making it back-to-back wins. Goals from Dango Ouattara, Kevin Schade and Igor Thiago earned Brentford another impressive three points.

The Bees will expect to make it three straight wins against Grimsby Town, who currently sit sixth in League Two, just two points off the top. Andrews, however, will remember Grimsby’s giant-killing heroics, having knocked Manchester United out in the second round of this competition.

Brentford lost Yehor Yarmoliuk to injury early against Liverpool, while Andrews is likely to rotate several of his regular starters for this midweek cup clash.

Wycombe Wanderers vs Fulham – Tuesday 28 October, 19:45 GMT

October has produced opposite fortunes for these two clubs. Wycombe remain unbeaten in five consecutive matches, while Fulham have extended their losing streak to four games.

Marco Silva’s Fulham began the season well, suffering just one defeat in their first seven across all competitions. Yet their recent run has been brutal, bringing losses to Aston Villa, AFC Bournemouth, Arsenal, and Newcastle United.

This encounter offers Fulham an ideal chance to return to winning ways against League One opposition.

After a dreadful start, Wycombe made an early managerial change, appointing Michael Duff, under whom performances have notably improved. Despite sitting 17th in the table, the Chairboys will look to complete a double over Fulham, having already beaten the Premier League club’s Under-21s in the EFL Trophy earlier this month.

Arsenal vs Brighton – Wednesday 29 October, 19:45 GMT

Things could hardly be brighter for Arsenal right now. The Gunners sit top of the Premier League, unbeaten in 10 matches across all competitions, with seven consecutive wins and five straight clean sheets.

In their latest victory, Eberechi Eze netted his first league goal for Arsenal against his former club Crystal Palace, sealing a 1-0 triumph.

Manager Mikel Arteta will likely use this tie to test his squad depth, with William Saliba, Declan Rice, Riccardo Calafiori, and Gabriel Martinelli all picking up knocks of varying severity in that Palace fixture.

With no European football to contend with, Brighton can afford to name a full-strength side. The Seagulls made history by becoming the first club to win consecutive EFL Cup games by six goals or more, thrashing Oxford United 6-0 and then repeating that scoreline against Barnsley. Diego Gomez scored four times in that latter match.

Liverpool vs Crystal Palace – Wednesday 29 October, 19:45 GMT

Much has changed since these sides last met just over a month ago. Back then, Liverpool were unbeaten in seven, while FA Cup holders Crystal Palace were riding a 17-match unbeaten streak.

Palace’s win at Selhurst Park set a club record and marked successive victories over Arne Slot’s Liverpool, following their Community Shield success.

Since then, Liverpool’s form has collapsed — four straight league defeats, their worst run since February 2021, capped by Saturday’s loss to Brentford.

Palace have also faltered, going four games without a win and losing three.

Liverpool’s injury list continues to grow, with Curtis Jones joining Alexander Isak and Ryan Gravenberch as doubts after limping off against Brentford.

Swansea vs Manchester City – Wednesday 29 October, 19:45 GMT

Swansea City can take some comfort from the likelihood that Erling Haaland will not feature. The prolific Norwegian, who has scored 15 goals in 12 matches this season, suffered a knock after colliding with the post during Manchester City’s weekend defeat at Villa Park.

He is expected to rest as City look to rebound from the end of their nine-game unbeaten run.

Their opponents are an inconsistent Swansea side, having won four, lost four, and drawn four in the Championship, without recording the same result in consecutive league fixtures.

Swansea eliminated Nottingham Forest in the previous round with two stoppage-time goals, showing resilience in cup competition.

City have beaten Swansea in their last two FA Cup meetings, including the dramatic 2019 quarter-final when they came from 2-0 down after 68 minutes to win 3-2, en route to a domestic treble.

Wolves vs Chelsea – Wednesday 29 October, 19:45 GMT

Just as Chelsea appeared to be turning a corner, their four-game winning streak ended at the weekend with defeat to Sunderland, one of the surprise packages of the season.

Manager Enzo Maresca has endured a constant injury headache, with Cole Palmer among several senior absentees. After the Sunderland loss, he confirmed that Joao Pedro, Enzo Fernandez, and Moises Caicedo are all struggling with issues that limit their ability to train.

Expect widespread rotation, though Liam Delap could return after overcoming a hamstring injury.

Wolves, meanwhile, are still searching for a spark. They have become only the third Premier League team ever to begin two successive seasons without a league win in their first nine games.

Their narrow 3-2 defeat to Burnley showed signs of progress, while they proved capable of beating top-flight opposition by eliminating Everton in the last round.

Newcastle vs Tottenham – Wednesday 29 October, 20:00 GMT

In the second last-16 tie between reigning trophy winners, EFL Cup holders Newcastle United face UEFA Europa League champions Tottenham Hotspur.

The venue advantage might actually favour Spurs, who have excelled away from home this season despite poor form at their own ground. They rose to third in the Premier League after easing past Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday.

Both clubs are juggling UEFA Champions League commitments, so heavy rotation is expected.

Newcastle scraped through with a 90th-minute winner against Fulham and are targeting a fourth straight quarter-final appearance in this competition.

Sven Botman could be rested after sustaining a knock at the weekend, but Lewis Hall is poised to return from a hamstring injury.

Newcastle have won five of the last six meetings between the two sides.

The only fourth-round fixture not involving a Premier League side is an all-Welsh contest, with Wrexham of the Championship hosting League One leaders Cardiff City.