Fleetwood Town have secured one of the most significant fixtures in their history after being drawn against Premier League champions Arsenal in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup. The Lancashire club advanced to this stage of the competition for the first time following a hard-fought victory over Sheffield United, courtesy of a decisive own goal by defender Rhys Norrington-Davies. Mikel Arteta's Arsenal side booked their place in the next round by overcoming Ipswich Town with a 4-2 victory earlier in the week.
The fourth-round draw has also set up several other compelling matchups across English football. In another standout tie, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso is scheduled to make a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool, his former club, after the two Premier League heavyweights were paired together. Meanwhile, reigning cup holders Manchester City will play host to Brighton at the Etihad Stadium, provided they successfully navigate their remaining third-round fixture against Norwich City.
Lower-league representation remains strong in the competition, with Bradford and Peterborough both advancing from the third round after respective wins over Leyton Orient and Barnsley. The two League One clubs will now face each other in the fourth round, guaranteeing that at least one lower-tier team will secure a spot in the quarter-finals of the tournament.
The remainder of the fourth-round schedule is dominated by all-Premier League encounters. Fulham will welcome Crystal Palace to Craven Cottage, while Aston Villa travel away to face Bournemouth. Brentford are set for a journey to take on Sunderland, and Everton will play host to Newcastle United at Goodison Park.
All fourth-round matches are scheduled to take place during the week commencing October 26. Clubs will be eager to secure a place in the quarter-finals as the competition progresses toward its latter stages.
Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC Sport. Read the original report at BBC Sport.
