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Match Previews

Preview: EFL Cup Round Three preview

20 September 2016

The EFL Cup returns this week with clubs from England's top four divisions taking to the field across two nights in Round Three.

The 16 ties are evenly split across Tuesday and Wednesday, with a number of mouthwatering clashes among them.
 
On Tuesday, Leicester City host Chelsea in front of the Sky Sports cameras. The two sides last met in this competition in 2007, when Chelsea won 4-3 courtesy of a Frank Lampard hat-trick and an Andriy Shevchenko strike. The Blues, who last lifted the Cup in 2015, must overcome the Premier League champions to have any hopes of adding to their five compeittion triumphs this season. 

Read more: Click here for the EFL Cup roll of honour

At the City Ground, Nicklas Bendtner could make his first Nottingham Forest start against his former side Arsenal. The Danish striker made more than 100 appearances in a nine-year spell with the Gunners, and scored seven goals in 18 EFL Cup appearances under Arsene Wenger.

Elsewhere, Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers meet just three days after Walter Zenga’s men inflicted defeat on the Magpies in the Sky Bet Championship, where they brought a six-game winning run in all competitions to an end.

On Wednesday evening, live on Sky Sports, Northampton Town meet Manchester United for the first time Cup history. The Red Devils go to Sixfields on the back of three straight losses in all competitions, while the Cobblers - who saw off Barnsley and West Bromwich Albion to reach Round Three - come into the game on the back of a 3-1 loss at Chesterfield - their first League defeat since last December. 

The two sides last met in 2004 in an FA Cup tie, when Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Scholes were among the starters for Manchester United in a comfortable 3-0 win.

Elsewhere, Justin Edinburgh takes his Gillingham side to White Hart Lane to face Tottenham Hotspur - the club where the Gills’ manager made more than 200 appearances in over a decade as a player. Accrington Stanley, who famously knocked out rivals Burnley in Round Two, also travel to West Ham United, where they’ll contest the first EFL Cup tie at the London Stadium. 

EFL Cup Round Three fixtures (kick-off 7.45pm unless stated)

Match official: Click here to see the referee appointments for EFL Cup Round Three games


Tuesday 20th September

AFC Bournemouth v Preston North End
Brighton & Hove Albion v Reading
Derby County v Liverpool
Everton v Norwich City
Leeds United v Blackburn Rovers
Leicester City v Chelsea (live on Sky Sports)
Newcastle United v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal   

Wednesday 21st September

Fulham v Bristol City
Northampton Town v Manchester United (live on Sky Sports)
Queens Park Rangers v Sunderland
Southampton v Crystal Palace
Swansea City v Manchester City
West Ham v Accrington Stanley
Stoke City v Hull City (8pm)
Tottenham Hotspur v Gillingham (8pm)

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Keep up to speed with all the EFL Round Three action by following our coverage on social media, and using the #EFLCup hashtag.

>> Twitter.com/EFLCup
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