Carabao Cup: Fourth Round game-by-game preview

All the pre-match stats ahead of round four of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday as compiled by efl.com.

Manchester United v Newcastle United

This game will see last season’s finalists meet, with Manchester United winning 2-0 against Newcastle United in February. It’s only the fourth time the previous season’s finalists have met the following season, along with West Ham v West Brom (1965-66 final, 1966-67 semifinal), Aston Villa v Leeds United (1995-96 final, 1996-97 third round) and Man Utd v Spurs (2008-09 final, 2009-10 quarterfinal).

Newcastle won their last meeting with Man Utd in April, last defeating the Red Devils in consecutive games back in October 1972. They have, however, won just one of their last 41 away games against the Red Devils in all competitions (D10 L30), a 1-0 win in December 2013.

Manchester United have won their last seven matches in the League Cup, their longest ever winning run in the competition’s history. Their last six wins have all been with a clean sheet – no side has ever won seven in a row without conceding, with Arsenal also winning six in a row without letting a goal in between September 1987 and February 1988.

Newcastle knocked out Man City in the third round, winning 1-0 at St James’ Park. Only two teams have knocked out both Manchester City and United in the same League Cup season – Arsenal in 1977-78 and West Ham in 2021-22.

Casemiro has been involved in five goals in his last five League Cup appearances for Man Utd (2 goals, 3 assists) – he also netted their opening goal at Wembley in the 2023 final against Newcastle.

West Ham United v Arsenal

After eliminating Arsenal the first time they met in the League Cup in 1966-67, West Ham have been eliminated in their last two, both at the quarterfinal stage in 1997-98 and 2017-18.

In all competitions, Arsenal have lost just two of their last 32 matches against West Ham United (W24 D6), although they squandered a 2-0 lead in their most recent meeting in April to draw 2-2.

West Ham have only lost one of their last 10 home League Cup matches (W6 D3), although they were eliminated on penalties in two of those draws, including their most recent game at the London Stadium in November last season against Blackburn (2-2 draw, lost 10-9 on pens).

Since a 5-5 draw with Liverpool in October 2019, Arsenal have kept five consecutive away clean sheets in the League Cup (W3 D2). No team has ever kept six away clean sheets in a row in League Cup history.

West Ham United manager David Moyes has lost all four of his League Cup games against Arsenal (one with Preston, two with Everton, one with West Ham). In League Cup history, the only manager to lose more games against one opponent is John McGrath against Tranmere Rovers (three with Port Vale in 1980 and 1981, two with Preston in 1989).

AFC Bournemouth v Liverpool

This is the third League Cup meeting between Bournemouth and Liverpool, with the Reds winning the previous two – 3-1 in the quarterfinal in 2014-15 and 1-0 in the fourth round in 2015-16.

Liverpool have won 15 of their 20 matches against Bournemouth in all competitions (D3 L2), with both defeats coming away from home (3-4 in December 2016, 0-1 in March 2023). Their 75 per cent win ratio against the Cherries is their best against any opponent they’ve faced 10+ times.

Bournemouth have progressed from their last 10 home League Cup ties, winning eight and progressing on penalties in two drawn games. The last side to eliminate them at the Vitality Stadium were Preston North End in September 2016.

This will be Liverpool’s 250th match in the League Cup, becoming only the second side to reach that total after Aston Villa (257). The Reds have been eliminated at the fourth round stage in two of the last three seasons (2020-21 and 2022-23); only Everton (21) and Southampton (17) have been eliminated at this stage more often in the competition’s history.

Liverpool had 29 shots in the third round of this season’s League Cup against Leicester City, their most in a game in the competition since having 58 against Carlisle United in September 2015 (inc. extra-time). This season, only Leeds United against Salford City (33) have had more in a game.

Chelsea v Blackburn Rovers

Chelsea have faced Blackburn Rovers three times previously in the League Cup, eliminating them twice (1997-98 and 2006-07) and going out once (2009-10). Indeed, the Blues went on to win the trophy in the two previous campaigns they knocked Rovers out.

Blackburn are winless in their last 15 games against Chelsea in all competitions (D3 L12), although one of those draws – 3-3 in December 2009 – saw Rovers eliminate the Blues on penalties in a League Cup quarterfinal.

Chelsea have progressed from their last 14 League Cup ties against sides from a lower division, winning all 14 games and scoring 51 goals in the process. The last lower division side to knock them out was Burnley in 2008-09, doing so on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Blackburn Rovers are looking to reach the League Cup quarterfinal for the first time since 2011-12. They have scored 17 goals in three games this season – only Chelsea in 1960-61 (18) have ever scored more goals from rounds one to three in a season in League Cup history.

No player has been involved in more League Cup goals this season than Blackburn’s Andrew Moran (2 goals, 3 assists), who both scored twice and assisted twice in their 5-2 win over Cardiff in the third round. Moran is averaging a goal or assist every 31 minutes in the competition this season.

Everton v Burnley

This is the first ever meeting between Everton and Burnley in the League Cup – it is the Toffees’ 194th game in the competition, while it is the Clarets’ 192nd.

Burnley have lost six of their last eight away visits to Goodison Park – all in the Premier League – with the other two games seeing them beat Everton, 1-0 in 2017-18 and 2-1 in 2020-21.

Everton have progressed from their last two League Cup fourth round ties, both at Goodison Park and both against Premier League opponents, beating Watford in 2019-20 and West Ham United in 2020-21.

Burnley are looking to reach the League Cup quarterfinal for the first time since 2008-09. They have won their two away matches in this season’s competition, last winning three consecutive away League Cup games between September 1968 and September 1969.

This will be Everton manager Sean Dyche’s first game against former club Burnley since he departed the club in 2022. Dyche’s two previous games against the Clarets came in 2011-12 with Watford in the Championship, one of which was his first ever game in management, a 2-2 draw in August 2011.

Ipswich Town v Fulham

Ipswich Town have lost their last five matches against Fulham in all competitions, with the most recent game a 1-0 defeat in the League Cup second round in 2020-21.

Fulham have won their last three away matches at Ipswich in all competitions without conceding a single goal – before this run, they’d lost six of their previous seven trips to Portman Road.

Ipswich are looking to reach the League Cup quarterfinal stage for the first time since the 2010-11 campaign, when they reached the semifinal. Indeed, this is their first match in the fourth round since then.

Since they last reached the League Cup quarterfinal in 2004-05, Fulham have lost four matches in the fourth round, conceding 14 goals across those defeats. Their most recent was a 3-0 loss to Brentford in October 2020.

Fulham’s Alex Iwobi has been involved in seven goals in his last 10 League Cup starts (4 goals, 3 assists) and netted their winner against Norwich in the third round.