Tottenham and rival get special advantage in revamped Carabao Cup 3rd-round draw
As the Carabao Cup progresses into its third round, a revamped draw format has set the stage for some intriguing matchups. Among the highlights, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have emerged as the only two non-Champions League clubs guaranteed to avoid facing last season’s top four in the next stage of the competition. This development marks a significant advantage for both teams as they aim to progress further in the tournament.
The draw format for this season’s Carabao Cup has been restructured, with the intention of creating more balanced matchups and adding an extra layer of excitement to the competition. The key change involves the introduction of two separate bowls for the draw.
‘Bowl 1’ consists of the Champions League qualifiers along with Manchester United and Tottenham, who will both compete in the Europa League this season. The remaining 26 teams, which include clubs from various tiers of English football, are placed in ‘Bowl 2’.
One of the most significant outcomes of this new draw format is that Manchester United and Tottenham are assured of not facing any of last season’s top four teams in the third round. This is due to the fact that all six teams in Bowl 1—comprising the four Champions League qualifiers, United, and Spurs—will be drawn against sides from Bowl 2. As a result, both United and Tottenham can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing they will avoid the Premier League heavyweights in the next stage of the Carabao Cup.
While Manchester United and Tottenham have received a favorable draw, Chelsea, who finished two places above United last season but now find themselves in the Europa Conference League, are not as fortunate. Unlike United and Spurs, Chelsea remain at risk of being drawn against one of the top sides. This situation arose after Manchester United leapfrogged Chelsea into the Europa League by winning the FA Cup in May, leaving the Blues with a more precarious path in the Carabao Cup.
Tottenham Hotspur’s inclusion in Bowl 1 is a testament to their impressive performance in the Premier League last season, where they secured a fifth-place finish. This achievement marked a successful debut season for Ange Postecoglou as the club’s head coach.
The Greek-Australian manager has quickly won over the Spurs faithful with his attacking style of play and has set high expectations for the current campaign. Avoiding a top-four opponent in the Carabao Cup third round further boosts Tottenham’s chances of making a deep run in the competition.
Before the main draw for the third round takes place, a pre-draw will be conducted on Wednesday, ahead of Newcastle United’s second-round clash with Nottingham Forest. This pre-draw will determine whether each of the six teams in Bowl 1 will play their third-round match at home or away. Once the home or away status is decided, the main draw will follow, pitting each of these six sides against a team from Bowl 2.
This pre-draw process adds an additional layer of suspense, as the outcome could significantly influence the dynamics of the third-round matchups. A home fixture could provide a crucial advantage, particularly for teams like Tottenham and Manchester United, who are eager to maintain momentum in both domestic and European competitions.
The congested fixture list for European competitions has necessitated the splitting of the Carabao Cup third round across two midweeks this season. Due to their participation in the Europa League, Manchester United and Tottenham will play their Carabao Cup fixtures in the week commencing September 16. The remaining third-round matches will take place during the week commencing September 23.
This scheduling decision aims to alleviate the strain on teams competing on multiple fronts, allowing them to manage their squad rotation more effectively. For Manchester United and Tottenham, this provides an opportunity to balance their domestic and European commitments, ensuring they remain competitive in both arenas.
Manchester United enter this year’s Carabao Cup with confidence, having ended a six-year trophy drought by winning the competition in 2023. Under the guidance of manager Erik ten Hag, the Red Devils clinched the trophy with a convincing victory over Newcastle United in the final. This triumph marked ten Hag’s first piece of silverware as United’s manager and has set the stage for further success in the current season.
The Magpies took their revenge last season by thrashing United 3-0 at Old Trafford in the round of 16.
Tottenham’s most recent trophy win came in the 2008 Carabao Cup under Juande Ramos. The north Londoners have since reached the final three times without adding to their cabinet due to defeats against United in 2008, Chelsea in 2015 and Manchester City in 2021.
With the revamped draw format and the assurance of avoiding top-four opponents, both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur find themselves in advantageous positions as they prepare for the Carabao Cup third round. For Tottenham, this favorable draw is yet another sign of progress under Ange Postecoglou, while Manchester United will look to build on their recent cup success. As the competition heats up, fans of both clubs have every reason to be optimistic about their teams’ prospects in the Carabao Cup this season.
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