The fourth round of the Carabao Cup has been drawn, with Liverpool set to host Chelsea in a heavyweight clash at Anfield. Arsenal, meanwhile, will travel to League One side Fleetwood Town, the lowest-ranked team remaining in the competition.
Key fourth-round fixtures confirmed
The draw, announced on Wednesday evening, produced several intriguing matchups. Xabi Alonso, the former Liverpool midfielder and current Chelsea manager, will return to Anfield for the first time since taking charge of the Blues. The tie is widely regarded as the standout fixture of the round.
Fleetwood Town, who have already exceeded expectations by reaching this stage, will welcome the Premier League champions. Arsenal eased past Ipswich Town in their third-round clash earlier this week to set up the trip to the Fylde coast.
Defending champions await their opponent
Manchester City, the defending champions, are still to play their third-round match. They face Norwich City on Thursday night, with the winners scheduled to host Brighton in the fourth round. Brighton advanced after eliminating Manchester United on Wednesday night, a result that sent the Red Devils crashing out of the competition.
The full fourth-round draw is as follows: Fleetwood Town vs Arsenal; Manchester City or Norwich vs Brighton; Everton vs Newcastle; Sunderland vs Brentford; Liverpool vs Chelsea; Bradford vs Peterborough; Fulham vs Crystal Palace; and Bournemouth vs Aston Villa.
Dates and context for the ties
All fourth-round matches are scheduled to be played in the week commencing October 26, 2026, though exact dates and kick-off times have yet to be confirmed. The draw was conducted live on Sky Sports, with former England international and current pundit Jamie Carragher assisting with the proceedings.
Chelsea's trip to Anfield will mark a significant moment for Alonso, who won the Champions League with Liverpool as a player in 2005. His Chelsea side have been in strong form this season, sitting third in the Premier League table after eight matches.
Fleetwood, who play in the fourth tier of English football, have already knocked out two Championship sides in this season's competition. Their reward is a home tie against the Premier League's top-flight leaders, a fixture that is expected to generate significant interest in the town.
The winners of each fourth-round tie will advance to the quarter-finals, with the draw for that round scheduled to take place immediately after the final fourth-round match concludes.
