Key events
FULL TIME! Brighton 2-3 Liverpool
And it was 0-0 at half-time. Brighton put up a fight, but it’s Liverpool who march on.
“Van Nistelrooy is a better man than me resting players,” says John Delaney. “If I got to be in charge for one game, I’d play six up front with a rush goalie!” And the score might be just the same.
“Utter craziness from Arteta in bringing on Bukayo Saka,” says Charles Antaki. “At three-nil up therés absolutely no reason to risk him. The Arsenal faithful will be incandescent if anything happens to him. I don’t mind Arteta playing mind games with the opposition, but not with the fans…”
GOAL! Brighton 2-3 Liverpool (Lamptey 90+1)
Hang on! Lamptey’s speculative left-foot shot takes a wicked deflection and goes in. That’s five goals since half-time at the Amex.
As things stand… Arsenal and Man United are three up, Liverpool and Newcastle are two up, and Spurs and Palace are one up.
GOAL! Brighton 1-3 Liverpool (Diaz 85)
Liverpool wrap it up as Luis Diaz steals in after a fine save by Steele from a shot by Curtis Jones.
GOAL! Villa 1-2 Palace (Kamada 64)
Ooh! Palace lead again as Daichi Kamada, who came on early for Eberechi Eze, joins him on the scoresheet.
GOAL! Brighton 1-2 Liverpool (Adingra 81)
Liverpool let Brighton back into the game with a blunder at the back from Jarell Quansah. He hands the ball to Evan Ferguson, whose shot is too hot for Jaros to hold onto, and Adingra seizes on the rebound.
GOAL! Man United 5-2 Leicester (Fernandes 59)
Just when they were looking better, Leicester mess up at the back and hand a gift-wrapped chance to Bruno Fernandes. He coolly goes round the keeper, then coolly deceives the defender on the line. And, for the second League Cup game in a row, there have been seven goals at Old Trafford.
GOAL! Preston 0-3 Arsenal (Havertz 57)
Kai Havertz, who replaced Mikel Merino at half-time, heads home from a cross by Jakub Kiwior. And it looks like game over for poor old Preston.
Man United 4-2 Leicester Steve Cooper, who picked up a booking in the first half, seems to have had a good half-time. Leicester are now flying into tackles and getting into the box.
As it stands… Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle are all two up. Hang on, Spurs are too! Pape Sarr has added a second against Man City.
GOAL! Brighton 0-2 Liverpool (Gakpo 63)
They’re two up now. It’s Gakpo again, picking the pocket of Lamptey and then drilling a shot as if his life depends on it.
Brighton 0-1 Liverpool How are Liverpool not two up? Szoboszlai makes a mess of a big chance, though Steele does well coming out to narrow the angle.
“Hello Tim,” says a familiar voice. Hello Krish Krishnamoorthy. “When was the last time you typed Man Utd 4?” Ha, good question. I suspect it was last March.
A question from Chris in Corfu. “Has Ruud been offered a five-year contract yet?”
Half-times! Arsenal and Newcastle two up; Villa-Palace 1-1
It’s half-time in most of our games. Arsenal and Newcastle, like Man United, go in two goals up, albeit in more sedate fashion: it’s Preston 0-2 Arsenal at Deepdale and Newcastle 2-0 Chelsea at St James’ Park. At Villa Park, it’s still Villa 1-1 Palace.
GOAL! Brighton 0-1 Liverpool (Gakpo 46)
Cody Gakpo plays his signature tune, cutting in from the left and thumping the ball into the net.
GOAL! Man United 4-2 Leicester (Coady 45+3)
What the hell! A free kick comes curling into the box, bounces off Diogo Dalot and falls kindly for Conor Coady, who prods it home. Say what you like about Ten Hag, he won his only League Cup match this season 7-0.
“Ten Hag – a correction,” says Luke Regan. “You said ‘somewhere in the Netherlands,’ but Ten Hag is clearly at Old Trafford, managing Leicester.”
There’s even been a goal at the Tottenham Stadium. And it’s from Timo Werner. “This,” says Daniel Harris, “is not a misprint!”
Half-time! Brighton 0-0 Liverpool
Goals are raining in everywhere, except on the south coast. Liverpool have had the better chances, but Brighton have had just as many shots (4-4).
GOAL! Man United 4-1 Leicester (Casemiro 39)
Casemiro’s got his second! Rashford chips in a sweet cross, Casemiro doesn’t score with his head, but when the ball comes loose, he thumps it in with his left foot. He’s on a hat-trick! Somewhere in the Netherlands, a man wearing no socks holds his shaven head in his hands.
GOAL! Man United 3-1 Leicester (Fernandes 36)
Bruno Fernandes hasn’t scored all season… he has now! From a free kick.
GOAL! Preston 0-2 Arsenal (Nwaneri 33)
A beauty of a goal from Ethan Nwaneri, curled into the corner. He is 17.
GOAL! Man United 2-1 Leicester (El Khannouss 33)
Under Erik ten Hag, United’s problems included being hopeless at defending a lead… and here they go again. Their reserve goalie, Altay Bayindir, punches a cross straight to Bilal El Khannouss, whose whipped shot goes in off both posts. Game on!
“Just a small correction,” says Andy Flintoff. “Jaroš has already appeared for Liverpool as a substitute, but tonight is his first start for them.” And I called him Garos too, a howler kindly highlighted by Andrew Bartlett. Apologies to Jaroš, and thanks to both Andrews.
GOAL! Newcastle 2-0 Chelsea (Disasi OG 26)
One brings two at St James’ Park.
GOAL! Man United 2-0 Leicester (Garnacho 28)
Crisis, what crisis? Casemiro sets Dalot free down the right. His cross is low and whippy and not overhit for once, and Garnacho is there to thump it into the roof of the net.
GOAL! Preston 0-1 Arsenal (Jesus 24)
Gabriel Jesus remembers how to score.
GOAL! Villa 1-1 Palace (Duran 23)
It’s a bit early in the game for him, isn’t it? Jhon Duran has his eighth goal of the season after a cutback from Leon Bailey.
GOAL! Newcastle 1-0 Chelsea (Isak 23)
Alexander Isak scores again.
GOAL! Man United 1-0 Leicester (Casemiro 15)
Casemiro, who scored United’s last goal under Erik ten Hag, has now bagged the first under Ruud van Nistelrooy. This one isn’t a header from close range: it’s a screamer from some way out.
Brighton 0-0 Liverpool Brighton are getting some joy down the right with Tariq Lamptey. And now they have a shot from Julio Enciso, a screamer that goes just over the bar.
Newcastle 0-0 Chelsea A glimmer of a chance for Renato Veiga, but his shot is blocked by Sandro Tonali.
GOAL! Villa 0-1 Palace (Eze, 8)
Palace carry on where they left off against Spurs. The first scorer of the night is Eberechi Eze, with a fine header from a cross by Daniel Munoz.
Man United 0-0 Leicester The first chance of the Van Nistelrooy era falls to another Dutch striker, Joshua Zikzee, who fluffs it.
All the games are under way now apart from Spurs-City, which starts at 8.15.
Man United 0-0 Leicester Ruud van Nistelrooy gets a thunderous reception, or perhaps it’s for his long black coat. And the whistle goes.
If you’d rather concentrate on tonight’s biggest game, do join Daniel Harris for the build-up.
Brighton 0-0 Liverpool Jason Steele is living dangerously again. The commentator doesn’t know how it’s not 0-1 and neither do I. His defenders, perhaps trying to make him feel better, do something similar themselves. In between times, though, Brighton are snapping at Liverpool’s heels.
“Good to see,” says Justin Kavanagh, “that Van Nistelrooy has opted for a probable 4-2-3-1 in place of the more usual (of late) 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1. Let’s hope the optimism for some kind of newfound cohesion works out for him.”
Brighton 0-0 Liverpool This one seems unlikely to stay goalless for long. Jason Steele very nearly presents Liverpool with a goal as he plays out perilously from the back.
Brighton 0-0 Liverpool Arne Slot’s full-backs, Robertson and Bradley, are playing as wingers.
Brighton 0-0 Liverpool Peep peep! Liverpool get the night rolling. And the first minute is … frantic.
Teams in full: Preston-Arsenal
Preston North End (probable 4-2-3-1) Woodman; Kesler-Hayden, Whatmough, Lindsay, Hughes; Thordarson, Ledson; Holmes, Okkels, Bowler; Greenwood.
Subs: Cornell, Best, Storey, Whiteman, Frokjaer-Jensen, McCann, Potts, Jakobsen, Stewart.
Arsenal (probable 4-3-3) Setford; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Zinchenko; Nwaneri, Jorginho, Merino; Sterling, Jesus, Martinelli.
Subs: Raya, Partey, Rice, Lewis-Skelly, Nichols, Heaven, Saka, Trossard, Havertz.
Referee Peter Bankes.
Teams in full: Villa-Palace
Aston Villa (probable 4-2-3-1) Gauci; Nedeljkovic, Diego Carlos, Mings, Maatsen; McGinn, Kamara; Bailey, Buendia, Philogene; Duran.
Subs: Zych, Cash, Patterson, Bogarde, Swinkels, Borland, Ramsey, Jimoh, Young.
Crystal Palace (probable 3-4-2-1) Turner,; Lacroix, Guehi, Chalobah; Munoz, Wharton, Hughes, Mitchell; Nketiah, Eze; Mateta.
Subs: Henderson, Clyne, Kporha, Schlupp, Kamada, Devenny, Sarr, Agbinone, Umeh-Chibueze.
Referee Sam Barrott.
Teams in full: Newcastle-Chelsea
Newcastle (probable 4-3-3) Pope; Krafth, Schar, Kelly, Hall; Tonali, Longstaff, Joelinton; Willock, Isak, Gordon.
Subs: Dubravka, Livramento, Burn, Alex Murphy, Guimaraes, Almiron, Miley, Barnes, Osula.
Chelsea (probable 4-3-3) Jorgensen; Disasi, Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Cucurella; Dewsbury-Hall, Veiga, Fernandez; Joao Felix, Nkunku, Mudryk.
Subs: Bergstrom, Bettinelli, Colwill, Chilwell, Casadei,
Chukwuemeka, Madueke, Palmer, Guiu.
Referee Chris Kavanagh.
We interrrupt these team sheets to bring you an email. “As a Fulham supporter,” Richard Hirst begins, “I can say with some angst that Preston would almost certainly fancy a penalty shoot out, preferably of epic proportions.” Ha.
Teams in full: Man United-Leicester
Man United (probable 4-2-3-1) Bayindir; Dalot, De Ligt, Lindelof, Martinez; Ugarte, Casemiro: Rashford, Fernandes, Garnacho; Zirkzee.
Subs: Heaton, Mazraoui, Amass, Evans, Fletcher, Fitzgerald, Amad, Hojlund, Wheatley.
Leicester (probable 4-2-3-1) Ward; Justin, Coady, Okoli, Thomas; Soumare, Skipp; McAteer, El Khannouss, De Cordova-Reid; Ayew.
Subs: Iversen, Pereira, Vestergaard, Ndidi, Winks, Mavididi, Buonanotte, Alves, Edouard.
Referee Andrew Madley.
Teams in brief: Newcastle-Chelsea
Some news to gladden the heart of every Toon fan: Cole Palmer is on the bench, where he’s joined by Noni Madueke. Enzo Fernandez captains a Chaelsea side that includes Dewsbuty-Hall, Nkunku, Mudryk and Felix. Newcastle are closer to full strength, though Eddie Howe rests Tino Livramento, Dan Burn and Bruno Guimaraes.
Teams in brief: Villa-Palace
In the race to make the most changes, Unai Emery shows who’s boss. He’s left out TEN of the players who started at the weekend. The last man standing is the captain, John McGinn. In a happy touch he’s joined by Tyrone Mings, whose last start came 14 months ago, on the opening day of last season.
Oliver Glasner goes the other way, making just three changes. Matt Turner, Will Hughes and Eddie Nketiah are the players who come into the Palace XI.
Teams in brief: Preston-Arsenal
Mikel Arteta plays something resembling a 2nd XI, plus William Saliba. Jorginho captains the side, while David Raya, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz are all on the bench. For Preston, Paul Heckingbottom makes six changes. Does anyone want to win this game?
Teams in brief: Man United-Leicester
Steve Cooper makes a shedload of changes for Leicester – nine, apparently, with only James Justin and Caleb Okoli keeping their places from the weekend. Ruud van Nistelrooy opts for four changes, not counting himself: Bayindir, Lindelof, Zirkzee and Ugarte replace Onana, Mazraoui, Eriksen and Højlund.
Teams in full: Brighton-Liverpool
Slot gives a debut to Viteszlav Jaros in goal, starts Tyler Morton in midfield and seems to be pushing Dominik Szoboszlai up from No 10 to a false 9.
Brighton (probable 4-2-3-1) Steele; Lamptey, Van Hecke, Igor, Kadioglu; Moder, Wieffer; Adingra, Enciso, Gruda; Ferguson.
Liverpool (probable 4-2-3-1) Jaros; Bradley, Gomez, Quansah, Robertson; Endo, Morton, Jones; Diaz, Szoboszlai, Gakpo.
Teams in brief: Brighton-Liverpool
Arne Slot rests Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Konate, Mac Allister and Salah, though all bar TAA can come off the bench. Fabian Hürzeler, who has fewer big cards to shuffle, rests Welbeck and Mitoma.
Preamble
Evening everyone and welcome to what should be a lively Wednesday night. If there’s such a thing as a stellar evening of League Cup football, this is it. The top six teams in England are all in action – and so are Manchester United.
The Carabao Cup may not be the most prestigious piece of silverware, but it’s one every club should be after. There’s no extra time! And not many fixtures! (Except in the semi-final.) You can lift a trophy in February!
Tonight we have five games and they’re all tasty. First up at 7.30pm is the James Milner derby (not, perhaps, the rarest thing a match can be): Brighton v Liverpool. Milner himself can’t be with us tonight, but this is still an attractive tie with a decent chance of an upset, now that Liverpool have finally begun to concede more than one goal a month.
At 7.45 there are four games. (1) Aston Villa entertain Crystal Palace in the Mile Jedinak derby. If Palace can beat Spurs, they should be able to give Villa a run for their money. (2) Man United entertain Leicester in the Maguire-Evans derby. On paper, this is a mismatch, but in reality it’s 14th in the Premier League against 15th. And it may be the only time Ruud van Nistelrooy gets to pick the team, at least until he takes over as United’s permanent manager in November 2026.
(3) Newcastle entertain Chelsea in the Lewis Hall derby. Hang on, haven’t these two just played each other? They have, last Saturday. Never mind Hall, this may be the Vera Lynn derby. Sod’s law of cup draws states that at least two clubs with a league fixture hereabouts will meet again. (Man U face Leicester in 11 days’ time, at the same address.) At least this game is at St James’ Park rather than Stamford Bridge, where Cole Palmer proved far too good for Newcastle.
(4) Preston entertain Arsenal in the Sam Greenwood derby. Yes, it’s the meeting we’ve all been waiting for between the first winners of the league championship and the first winners to come from the southern half of the country. These days Preston are flying the flag for the lower divisions: now that Stoke and Sheffield Wednesday have been squeezed out, they’re the only team left in this competition from outside the Prem. And Preston are unbeaten in the past month, which is more than can be said for Arsenal. But they do draw a lot, and might not fancy their chances in a shoot-out.
At 8.15, top of the bill, there’s Spurs v Man City. We’ll have an MBM from Daniel Harris for anyone wondering whether Spurs can remember that they were once Pep Guardiola’s bogey team. If you’d rather follow the goals and the gaffes from the other games, you’re in the right place. See you soon with the team sheets.
