The League Cup`s last-16 stage is set for intense battles, as Premier League giants and ambitious underdogs compete for a coveted spot in the quarter-finals. Both finalists from last season are still in contention: Newcastle United aims to defend their title, secured after defeating Liverpool. However, the Magpies face formidable competition from Arsenal and Manchester City, while the Reds will be looking to redeem themselves after a challenging start to their league campaign. Let`s delve into five of the most intriguing matchups of this round.
Eddie Howe`s squad has regained momentum after a slow start to the season, securing four wins in their last five matches across all competitions, including a 2-1 home victory over Fulham. St James` Park has become a formidable stronghold, with Newcastle winning their last three home games, scoring seven goals and conceding just one. A fourth consecutive home win is certainly within reach, especially considering Tottenham`s recent struggles at this venue. Spurs have suffered defeats in their last three visits to St James` Park, with an aggregate score of 12-2, highlighting the monumental task awaiting Ange Postecoglou`s side. Furthermore, Tottenham faces significant injury concerns, with key players like Yves Bissouma, Ben Davies, Radu Dragusin, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, and Koto Takai all reportedly unavailable, further dimming their hopes of progressing.
Currently languishing at the bottom of the Premier League table as the only team without a win, Wolverhampton Wanderers might view this cup clash as a welcome distraction from their domestic woes. However, under-pressure manager Gary O`Neil would likely prefer a less daunting challenge than facing Chelsea. The Blues recently endured a heartbreaking 2-1 home loss to Sunderland, which ended their four-match winning streak and reignited pressure on Mauricio Pochettino after a mixed start to their league campaign. Nevertheless, Chelsea can draw confidence from their recent encounters with Wolves, having won both league fixtures last season by significant margins, including an impressive 6-2 triumph at Molineux.
Swansea engineered a significant upset in the previous League Cup round, narrowly defeating Nottingham Forest to set up another high-profile tie against Pep Guardiola`s Manchester City. The visitors are eager to rebound from Saturday`s loss at Aston Villa and extend their seven-match winning streak against Swansea. This will be their first League Cup clash since 2016. The narrow 1-0 defeat at Villa Park ended City`s three-game winning streak across all competitions and marked their first time failing to score since a 2-0 home loss to Tottenham in August. Guardiola has downplayed `goalscoring concerns` after the Villa match, and this fixture against Swansea could be a prime opportunity for his side to rediscover their attacking prowess and get back on track.
It`s debatable whether there`s a more in-form team across Europe`s traditional top-five leagues than Arsenal at this moment. Mikel Arteta`s charges have won nine of their ten outings since a 1-0 loss at Liverpool in late August, including their last seven matches consecutively, with six of those featuring a clean sheet. Arsenal`s defensive resilience has been exceptional, though they have shown some struggles in attack, with two of their last three victories ending in an identical 1-0 scoreline. One goal may not suffice here, considering Brighton last failed to score in a 2-0 defeat at Everton in the second Premier League round. However, even two goals weren`t enough to secure points against Manchester United last weekend, as they suffered a 4-2 loss at Old Trafford. That result doesn`t bode well for their trip to the Emirates Stadium, a venue where they`ve impressively lost only one of their last five competitive matches against the Gunners.
Liverpool`s form has taken an unexpected downturn after a promising start to their Premier League title defence, placing manager Arne Slot under considerable pressure following a memorable maiden season at Anfield. Five defeats from their last six games across all competitions paint a bleak picture for the Reds, who fell to a dismal 3-2 loss at Brentford on Saturday. Fortuitously for the Merseyside giants, Crystal Palace also arrives at Anfield in poor form, having lost three of their last four fixtures, most recently falling to Arsenal at the weekend. Back-to-back losses without scoring have dented Palace`s early-season confidence, potentially derailing Oliver Glasner`s hopes of beating Slot in his own backyard for the second time in a row.
Mark Thompson
