New Carabao Cup rule changes with Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea all affected

 The Carabao Cup third round is back this week with a host of Premier League teams making their first appearances in the competition. Brentford, West Ham, Burnley and Southampton are among those through, while Bournemouth and Wolves suffered early exits, according to a report from The Mirror Football.

Manchester United, Everton, Fulham and Brighton are in action on Wednesday night, facing lower-league opposition. Defending champions Newcastle, who beat Liverpool 2-1 in last season’s final to lift their first domestic trophy since 1955, are set to enter at this stage as well.

The draw will take place after Manchester United’s match against Grimsby. Due to UEFA scheduling, teams involved in European competitions cannot be drawn against each other in this round.

As a result, the draw will be conducted using two separate pots. One pot includes the eight European clubs: Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City, Newcastle, Chelsea, Tottenham, Aston Villa, and Nottingham Forest. The second pot contains the remaining 24 teams. The eight European clubs will be drawn first to ensure none are paired with each other.

The expanded UEFA calendar for 2024/25 has created scheduling challenges. The EFL has confirmed that third round matches will be spread across two weeks (week of September 15 and September 22). As UEFA fixtures cannot be moved, separating European clubs ensures each Carabao Cup tie can be scheduled without conflicts. The EFL expressed frustration at having to adjust the draw format again, blaming UEFA’s lack of consultation with domestic leagues.

Crystal Palace, despite qualifying for the Europa League after their FA Cup win, were demoted to the Conference League due to UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules.

The situation mirrors last year’s altered draw, and though not ideal, it ensures all fixtures can be fulfilled within the tight calendar. Fans can look forward to a potentially dramatic third round as big clubs enter the competition, even if some dream matchups will have to wait.