Carabao Cup Fourth Round Predictions: Liverpool Host Chelsea, Man City Face Brighton

While the Champions League and the rest of UEFA’s club competitions enjoy a week off, there’s domestic cup action to watch, with several of the Premier League’s top dogs taking center stage.

We’re in the midst of an unrelenting period up until the November international break, and plenty of those teams with European commitments remain keen to enjoy a cup run and have supporters dreaming of a Wembley day out.

13 of the 16 teams that remain in the Carabao Cup ply their trade in the top-flight, so there‘s an array of all-Premier League affairs to enjoy midweek, including a couple of potentially tantalizing tussles.

Here’s how Sports Illustrated predicts the Carabao Cup fourth round to play out.

Fleetwood Town vs. Arsenal Prediction

Prediction: Fleetwood 0–3 Arsenal

Location: Fleetwood, England
Stadium: Highbury Stadium
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 27
Kickoff Time: 8 p.m. BST / 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT
Referee: Michael Salisbury

Arsenal were the big winners of the Premier League weekend, even if their fiercest rivals secured a rare victory at Stamford Bridge. The Gunners moved level on points with Manchester City at the division’s summit after easing to a 2–0 win against Everton and seeing the Cityzens beaten at Villa Park.

Mikel Arteta will undoubtedly have one eye cast on Sunday‘s trip to Anfield, where the Gunners have a wretched record, and he’ll have the chance to preserve key roster members at Highbury on Tuesday.

No, Arsenal aren’t traveling back in time to their old stomping grounds. Rather, they’re facing Fleetwood Town for the very first time. The Fishermen reached the fourth round for the first time in their history by beating Sheffield United last month, but their form has fallen off a cliff since.

Five defeats from their previous seven league outings mean Mark Lawlor’s men sit 18th in League Two.

Anything but a convincing away victory would be a surprise.

Manchester City vs. Brighton & Hove Albion Prediction

Prediction: Man City 2–1 Brighton

Location: Manchester, England
Stadium: Etihad Stadium
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 28
Kickoff Time: 7:30 p.m. GMT / 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT
Referee: Andy Madley

There’s a ‘Big Six’ affair at Anfield slightly later in the evening, yet this may be the most intriguing tie of the round.

Both teams entered the Premier League weekend in red-hot form, but were both stopped in their tracks. Man City were undone by a Nicolas Jackson brace at Saturday lunchtime, meaning their winning streak to start the league season was snapped. It left Chelsea’s record of nine straight wins to begin their title defense in 2005–06 intact.

Brighton & Hove Albion, meanwhile, were made to rue missed chances on Merseyside, as two quick-fire Liverpool goals meant the Seagulls fell to a 2–0 defeat. Despite the shutout, Brighton remain the league’s top scorers, and they’re aiming to complete a Manchester double at the start of their Carabao Cup campaign.

Brighton rallied from a 2–0 deficit to beat Manchester United 3–2 in round three, while City thumped Norwich City at the start of their trophy defense.

Bournemouth vs. Aston Villa Prediction

bournemouth manager Marco Rose — Bournemouth manager Marco Rose is enjoying the team’s recent hot streak. | Dave Howarth/CameraSport/Getty Images

Prediction: Bournemouth 3–1 Aston Villa

Location: Bournemouth, England
Stadium: Vitality Stadium
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 28
Kickoff Time: 7:45 p.m. GMT / 3:45 p.m. ET / 12:45 p.m. PT
Referee: Tony Harrington

Bournemouth and Aston Villa probably don’t mind games arriving thick and fast at the moment, given their respective moods.

The Cherries had quite the week, thrashing two mammoth insitutions in AC Milan and Manchester United in back-to-back games. Marco Rose’s men remain perfect in Europe and showcased at the weekend why any early-season panic was unfounded.

Villa, though, are equally buoyant. Unai Emery is at it again, folks. Just when you thought a rebuild was beyond him, he reminds everyone why he’s one of the most revered coaches in the sport. Villa’s wretched start to the campaign is a distant memory, and they travel down to the south coast on a four-game winning run.

Liverpool vs. Chelsea Prediction

Moisés Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister — Liverpool face another ‘Big Six’ rival. | Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Prediction: Liverpool 1–1 Chelsea (Liverpool win on penalties)

Location: Liverpool, England
Stadium: Anfield
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 28
Kickoff Time: 8 p.m. GMT / 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT
Referee: Darren England

A classic battle between red and blue. Liverpool welcome Chelsea to Anfield on Wednesday evening, aiming to take down another ‘Big Six’ rival.

Tottenham Hotspur were beaten 3–1 in the third round, courtesy of some outstanding finishing, while Chelsea toppled historic rival Leeds United in a crazy back-and-forth encounter.

And this is suddenly a big game for Xabi Alonso at his old stomping ground, given that he became just the second Chelsea manager—after Antonio Conte— to oversee a Premier League defeat at home to Spurs. Alonso was completely outwitted by Roberto De Zerbi, and the sense that Chelsea were improving at the start of the Spaniard’s tenure rapidly faded.

The Blues did win on their previous Carabao Cup trip to Anfield in 2018 but have won just once at Liverpool since. They’re facing an Andoni Iraola-led side that is continuing to pick up impressive results while remaining a work in progress.

Everton vs. Newcastle United Prediction

anthony elanga smiling — Newcastle secured victory against Crystal Palace over the weekend. | MB Media/Getty Images

Prediction: Everton 1–2 Newcastle

Location: Liverpool, England
Stadium: Hill Dickinson Stadium
Date: Thursday, Oct. 29
Kickoff Time: 7:45 p.m. GMT / 3:45 p.m. ET / 12:45 p.m. PT
Referee: Farai Hallam

The fourth round action concludes with one standalone fixture on Thursday, as Everton welcome Newcastle United to Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Newcastle won handsomely on their first visit to Everton’s new ground last season, and Matthias Jaissle’s Magpies secured a much-needed win on their travels at the weekend. A hapless Crystal Palace were bypassed with relative ease, thanks to second-half goals from William Osula and Harvey Barnes.

Newcastle’s success in this competition two seasons ago represented the finest moment in the club’s modern history, and another cup run would do the self-assured new manager a world of good.

Everton succumbed at the champions on Saturday, with availability issues forcing David Moyes to tinker just a little bit too much. Toffees’ supporters have been starved of cup success for decades, with their recent record in the domestic cups ever so poor.

Carabao Cup Fourth Round Predictions

Date & Kickoff Time	Fixture	Prediction
Tuesday, Oct. 27 - 7:45 p.m. GMT / 3:45 p.m. ET	Bradford vs. Peterborough	2–0
Tuesday, Oct. 27 - 8 p.m. GMT / 4 p.m. ET	Fleetwood vs. Arsenal	0–3
Wednesday, Oct 28 - 7:30 p.m. GMT / 3:30 p.m. ET	Man City vs. Brighton	2–1
Wednesday, Oct 28 - 7:45 p.m. GMT / 3:45 p.m. ET	Bournemouth vs. Aston Villa	3–1
Wednesday, Oct 28 - 7:45 p.m. GMT / 3:45 p.m. ET	Fulham vs. Crystal Palace	2–1
Wednesday, Oct 28 - 7:45 p.m. GMT / 3:45 p.m. ET	Sunderland vs. Brentford	1–0
Wednesday, Oct 28 - 8 p.m. GMT / 4 p.m. ET	Liverpool vs. Chelsea	1–1 (Liverpool win on penalties)
Thursday, Oct 29 - 7:45 p.m. GMT / 3:45 p.m. ET	Everton vs. Newcastle	1–2

Add us as a preferred source on Google