Carabao Cup Quarter-Final Draw: Fleetwood Town vs Everton as Holders Man City Face Bradford
The Carabao Cup quarter-final draw has handed Everton a trip to League Two giant-killers Fleetwood Town, while holders Manchester City will host Bradford City. The ties, to be played in the week commencing 14 December, were confirmed after Everton beat Newcastle United 3-1 on Thursday night to book their place in the last eight. It is a draw full of stories, from a fourth-tier fairytale to a heavyweight clash at Anfield.
How the Carabao Cup quarter-final draw was decided
Everton sealed their place with a professional performance at Hill Dickinson Stadium. James Garner opened the scoring in the 34th minute, and Hayden Hackney doubled the lead just before half-time with his first goal for the club. Thierno Barry added the third in the 69th minute, and Dan Burn's late header was only a consolation for Newcastle.
Hackney's goal was a personal milestone. The midfielder, signed from Middlesbrough for £16m in the summer, had waited for his first Everton strike, and he chose the perfect night to deliver it. David Moyes' side controlled the tie after the break and never looked like letting the lead slip.
Moyes praises his squad's professionalism
Moyes was quick to praise his players after the match, pointing to the squad's values and professionalism. The result ended a three-match winless run for the Toffees and set up a quarter-final that gives the club a genuine route to a first cup semi-final since 2016. Everton have never won the League Cup, and their last major trophy was the FA Cup in 1995.
Fleetwood Town vs Everton: the tie of the round
Fleetwood's reward for one of the great cup shocks is a home tie against Premier League opposition. The Cod Army, managed by Matt Lawlor, held reigning Premier League champions Arsenal to a 1-1 draw at Highbury on Tuesday night before winning the penalty shootout 5-3. It was Fleetwood's first-ever Carabao Cup quarter-final, and the scenes at full-time said everything about what it meant.
Fleetwood sit 18th in League Two, the fourth tier of English football, which makes the scale of the upset hard to overstate. Lawlor revealed afterwards that his side had not even practised penalties, yet they held their nerve while Arsenal faltered. Now Everton, a club chasing its first major trophy in more than 30 years, must travel to a ground where the champions have already fallen.
Why Fleetwood will believe again
There is no pressure on the home side, and that is exactly what makes this tie dangerous for Everton. Fleetwood have already shown they can live with Premier League quality for 90 minutes and then win a shootout. If the tie is level going into the closing stages at Highbury, the crowd and the occasion will do the rest.
The other Carabao Cup quarter-final ties
The remaining three ties are just as intriguing, with holders Manchester City given a home draw against third-tier Bradford City. Crystal Palace welcome Sunderland, while Liverpool host Bournemouth at Anfield. The full draw is:
- Fleetwood Town vs Everton — at Highbury
- Manchester City vs Bradford City — holders at home to the third tier
- Crystal Palace vs Sunderland — at Selhurst Park
- Liverpool vs Bournemouth — at Anfield
City will be strong favourites against Bradford, but cup football has already shown this season that no tie is a formality. Palace against Sunderland is the hardest of the three to call, while Liverpool against Bournemouth brings two attack-minded sides together under the Anfield lights.
The Grealish footnote
One subplot from Thursday night deserves a brief mention. Jack Grealish, on loan at Everton from Manchester City, was unavailable for selection after what the club described as a breach of club discipline. Reports suggest the absence was linked to a missed training session earlier in the week, but the club itself has gone no further than its official wording. Moyes and his players put the situation to one side on the night, and that professionalism was rewarded with a place in the last eight.
What happens next
Exact dates, kick-off times and ticket details for the quarter-finals will be confirmed in due course. Everton do not have long to dwell on the draw: they face Newcastle again at St James' Park on Monday night in the Premier League, before hosting Coventry City on Friday 6 November. Elsewhere this weekend, our Chelsea vs Manchester United preview covers Saturday's heavyweight clash at Stamford Bridge.
For Fleetwood, the wait until December will be filled with dreams of another famous night. For Everton, the message is simple: beat the team that beat the champions, and a first cup semi-final in a decade is within reach.
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