LIVERPOOL, CHELSEA HANDED ANFIELD SHOWDOWN AS ARSENAL FACE FLEETWOOD

Liverpool and Chelsea have been drawn against each other in the fourth round of the 2026/27 Carabao Cup, setting up one of the biggest fixtures of the last-16 stage. The two Premier League sides will meet at Anfield after both clubs successfully negotiated their third-round ties, with Liverpool defeating Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 and Chelsea overcoming Leeds United 6-3.

Arsenal, meanwhile, will travel to League Two side Fleetwood Town in another standout tie from the draw. Fleetwood secured their place in the fourth round for the first time in the club’s history after defeating Sheffield United 1-0, while Arsenal booked their spot with a 4-2 victory over Ipswich Town. The fixture will give Fleetwood the opportunity to host one of the Premier League’s leading sides at Highbury Stadium.

Brighton and Hove Albion, who stunned Manchester United 3-2 at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, will face either Manchester City or Norwich City away from home. The identity of their opponents will be decided after Manchester City and Norwich complete their outstanding third-round fixture on Thursday, with the winner going on to host Brighton in the next round.

The remaining fixtures will see Everton welcome Newcastle United, while Sunderland will host Brentford. Fulham have been paired with Crystal Palace, Bradford City will face Peterborough United, and Bournemouth will take on Aston Villa. The Bradford-Peterborough tie will be an all-League One meeting, giving one lower-league club a guaranteed place in the quarter-finals.

The fourth-round matches are scheduled to take place during the week commencing October 26, with the winners advancing to the quarter-finals of the competition. The draw has produced several all-Premier League encounters, while Fleetwood’s meeting with Arsenal provides one of the competition’s biggest opportunities for a lower-league side to cause another upset.