Arsenal enter the Carabao Cup in round three, but special draw rules mean Mikel Arteta’s side cannot face seven potential opponents.
The Gunners will find out who stands in their way first in this season’s Carabao Cup on Wednesday night, with an unusual draw set to decide where Arsenal begin their latest push for Wembley.
Arteta's men join the competition at this stage thanks to their Champions League commitments, skipping the opening two rounds along with the rest of England’s European contingent.
It’s also the point where the early regional split falls away, so Arsenal could be drawn to play anywhere across the country, although there is one technicality
Arsenal can’t be paired with any of the other seven Premier League sides involved in the Champions League or Europa League. The EFL has brought in extra rules this year, since European fixtures are locked in and the Carabao Cup third round is split across two weeks.
So Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Bournemouth, Sunderland and Crystal Palace are all off the table for Arsenal at this stage.
Despite achieving European football, Brighton have a unique case, with their Conference League campaign doesn’t kick off until October, so they’re in the main pot and could end up facing Arsenal.
Who Could Arsenal Face in the Carabao Cup?
That leaves Brighton, plus any of the 23 clubs who make it through the second round, as possible opponents for Arsenal.
Before those second-round ties wrap up, here’s who Arsenal could be drawn against:
* Brighton & Hove Albion
* Barnsley
* Brentford
* Coventry City
* Fleetwood Town
* Hull City
* Ipswich Town
* Leeds United
* Leyton Orient
* Lincoln City
* Middlesbrough
* Millwall
* Norwich City
* Peterborough United
* Reading
* Sheffield United
* West Ham United
* Wolverhampton Wanderers
* Bradford City or Burnley
* Newcastle United or West Bromwich Albion
* Tottenham Hotspur or Charlton Athletic
* Preston North End or Everton
* Chelsea or Luton Town
* Fulham or AFC Wimbledon
The second round of the Carabao Cup has been spread across Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, so not every possible opponent will be confirmed when the third-round draw happens tonight. Chelsea’s clash with Luton and Fulham’s meeting with AFC Wimbledon both take place on Thursday, after the draw itself.
Arsenal's Home or Away Status Will Be Decided First
Another unusual element is on Wednesday night.
Before the main draw even begins, a separate pre-draw will decide whether each of the eight Champions League and Europa League sides will be at home or away in Round Three.
So will know if they’re starting at the Emirates or heading out on the road before they even find out who they’ll be up against.
Once the pre-draw has been selected, the first eight ties of the main draw later in the evening will match up the European clubs with teams from the second bowl. After that, the rest of the sides are drawn as usual.
This system guarantees Arsenal won’t be facing another Champions League or Europa League side just yet.
When Is the Carabao Cup Third-Round Draw?
The pre-draw is set for around 7.20pm BST on Wednesday, August 26, during the build-up to Preston North End’s clash with Everton.
The main third-round draw will follow that second-round tie, with Liverpool confirming it should get underway at around 10.15pm BST.
Both will be shown live on Sky Sports.
Arsenal’s third-round tie is expected to take place in the week starting September 14, with Champions League duties coming first the week before.
Arteta’s side will be hoping for a different ending this time around.
Last season, made it all the way to Wembley but fell short in the final against Manchester City. The Carabao Cup remains one of the few domestic trophies still missing from Arteta’s collection since joining the Gunners as manager
Wednesday night will show where the next chapter of that pursuit begins.
What Is Arsenal’s Carabao Cup Ball Number?
Arsenal’s ball number for the third-round draw has not yet been confirmed.
The EFL is expected to release the full set of ball numbers ahead of Wednesday night’s draw.