The Carabao Cup returns this week, albeit with just six of the 16 third round ties taking place.
That’s because this round of the tournament has had to be straddled across two weeks, owing to various clashes for the Premier League sides entering the competition with European commitments.
Five top flight sides feature in five games this Tuesday night, with the most intriguing tie arguably being Newcastle United’s trip to Championship side Millwall. Matthias Jaissle has made an unbeaten start to life in the hotseat at St James Park after replacing Eddie Howe in what was a turbulent summer for the Magpies, amid a raft of star players heading for the exit door.
However, a trip to the Den – for a first meeting against the Lions in 33 years – sees Newcastle come up against a physical and demanding Millwall side on their home turf.
Whilst Jaissle’s troops are in fine fettle, Alex Neil’s side have had a strange start to the season having reached the play-offs last term. They won their first two league games before suffering back-to-back defeats and conceding eight goals in the process. They then followed that up with a 4-0 trouncing of Bolton last weekend.
Neil will be sure to get abit of a backlash from the travelling Geordies given his past as a Sunderland manager. As for his opposite number in the dugout, the German is relishing his first taste of an away game under the lights.
“There will be a bit of a special atmosphere down there,” he said. “I’m aware of that, but it doesn’t influence my coaching, but it should not influence the players. We need to have the focus on the pitch, what we can influence, and if we’re doing a good job, then we can go a round further.”
Elsewhere on Tuesday, there’s a fascinating clash at Selhurst Park as Premier League Crystal Palace welcome second tier high-fliers Middlesbrough. The hosts picked up their first win under Pierre Sage last weekend, edging Fulham in a five-goal thriller. As for Boro, they’re second in the embryonic Championship table and have a player in red-hot form in the shape of Will Lankshear, with seven in seven since his big-money summer switch from Tottenham.
Another top flight side at home to lower league opposition sees Bournemouth – in this season’s Europa League – welcome Championship newbies Lincoln City.
Tuesday’s other games see two top flight teams collide as Sunderland host Hull City whilst two League One sides meet, with Leyton Orient at home to 2013 finalists Bradford City.
The other tie this week takes place on Wednesday with an all-Premier League clash between Chelsea and Leeds United.
This week’s ties:
Tuesday
Bournemouth v Lincoln
Crystal Palace v Middlesbrough
Leyton Orient v Bradford
Sunderland v Hull
Millwall v Newcastle
Wednesday
Chelsea v Leeds
