- Liverpool Draw Tottenham in Carabao Cup Third Round as Six All-Premier League Ties Loom
Liverpool will host Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield in the standout fixture of the 2026/27 Carabao Cup third round, with the draw potentially producing as many as six all-Premier League ties.
The meeting between the two top-flight heavyweights immediately emerged as the headline contest from the draw, bringing Tottenham back to Anfield in the competition after Liverpool eliminated Spurs in the semi-finals of the 2024/25 edition.
On that occasion, Liverpool progressed 4-1 on aggregate, and the latest pairing gives Tottenham an early opportunity to respond against one of English football’s traditional powers. The third round also throws up several other significant fixtures involving Premier League clubs.
Manchester United will host Brighton at Old Trafford, while holders Manchester City have been handed a home tie against Championship side Norwich City at the Etihad Stadium.
Arsenal face a trip to Ipswich Town, while Aston Villa will travel to Coventry City for a Midlands derby.
Everton have been drawn against Wolverhampton Wanderers in another potentially all-Premier League contest, with the sides set to meet again in cup competition after facing each other last season.
The draw is particularly notable for the number of top-flight clubs who could be eliminated at an early stage, depending on the outcome of the remaining second-round ties. The Liverpool-Tottenham contest is expected to generate the greatest attention.
Liverpool have enjoyed strong recent form against Spurs in the competition, but Tottenham will view the fixture as an opportunity to test themselves against elite opposition and potentially make an early statement in the season.
Anfield also adds another layer to the contest. Cup ties at Liverpool’s home ground are traditionally difficult for visiting teams, while Tottenham will be conscious of their previous semi-final defeat there.
The match also ensures that one major Premier League side will exit the competition at the third-round stage. For both clubs, the Carabao Cup remains a realistic route to domestic silverware, but the draw means one of them will be forced to reassess those ambitions almost immediately.
Manchester United’s home tie against Brighton is another intriguing fixture. Brighton have established themselves as a difficult opponent for many of the Premier League’s traditional powers, and their trip to Old Trafford should provide United with a demanding early test.
The tie also raises the possibility of another top-flight club being eliminated before the competition reaches the latter stages.
United will be under pressure to make home advantage count, particularly given the importance of domestic cup competitions in offering opportunities for silverware and squad rotation.
Manchester City, meanwhile, have been handed what appears on paper to be a more favourable draw. The holders will welcome Norwich City to the Etihad, giving them the chance to begin their defence of the competition against Championship opposition.
That does not guarantee a straightforward evening, but City will be clear favourites given their depth and recent domestic record.
For Norwich, however, the fixture presents the possibility of a significant upset against one of the strongest sides in England.
Arsenal will travel to Ipswich Town in another potentially tricky fixture. An away tie against a promoted side can often present complications, particularly if Arsenal rotate heavily.
Ipswich will likely approach the match as an opportunity to test themselves against one of the Premier League’s elite clubs. Arsenal, however, will expect to progress as they continue to pursue trophies across multiple competitions.
Coventry City’s meeting with Aston Villa adds a regional dimension to the third-round draw. The Midlands derby is likely to attract significant interest, with Coventry hosting Premier League opposition in a fixture that carries both competitive and local significance.
Villa enter the competition at this stage due to their European commitments, while Coventry will view home advantage as a potential leveller.
Cup football has historically produced major surprises, and this fixture has the profile of a tie in which the Championship club could make things uncomfortable for their Premier League opponents.
Several fixtures remain dependent on second-round results. Chelsea could face Leeds United if they overcome Luton Town, while West Ham United are due to host either Fulham or AFC Wimbledon. Those possible pairings could increase the number of all-Premier League matches to six.
Newcastle United will travel to Millwall, Brentford have been handed an away tie at Reading, while Bournemouth will host Lincoln City. The range of fixtures means some Premier League teams have avoided top-flight opponents entirely, while others face immediate elimination against domestic rivals.
The third round also marks the entry of Premier League teams involved in European competition. Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Bournemouth, Brighton, Sunderland and Crystal Palace all join the tournament at this stage because of their continental commitments.
That significantly strengthens the field and traditionally marks the point at which the Carabao Cup begins to take on a different level of competitive intensity. For clubs balancing Premier League and European schedules, squad depth will become an important factor.
Managers are likely to rotate, but the strength of several third-round ties may limit how far they are willing to go.
Liverpool against Tottenham and Manchester United against Brighton, in particular, leave little margin for complacency. The draw could ultimately produce six all-Premier League ties, depending on the remaining second-round outcomes.
That concentration of top-flight opposition means the competition could lose several prominent Premier League clubs earlier than usual. It also creates opportunities for lower-league sides to progress deeper into the tournament.
Manchester City’s meeting with Norwich, Newcastle’s trip to Millwall and Brentford’s visit to Reading all offer Championship or lower-league clubs the chance to eliminate Premier League opposition. The competition has historically been fertile ground for upsets, particularly when top-flight managers rotate heavily.
Third-round ties will be played across the weeks beginning September 7 and September 14, 2026. The split schedule is designed to accommodate clubs involved in European competition and an increasingly congested domestic calendar.
That will place additional emphasis on squad management, particularly for teams competing on multiple fronts.
For Liverpool and Tottenham, however, there will be little opportunity to treat the third round as a routine fixture. Their meeting gives the competition an immediate marquee contest and ensures that one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs will be absent from the fourth round.
With Manchester United facing Brighton, Arsenal travelling to Ipswich and several other potential top-flight clashes still to be confirmed, the Carabao Cup third round has produced one of the most competitive draws of the season so far.
The headline, though, is unmistakable: Liverpool versus Tottenham at Anfield, with an early trophy ambition on the line.
