The fourth round of the Carabao Cup takes place this week, with the originally scheduled eight games currently down to seven after the postponement of Leicester’s tie with Southampton. The cancellation of Tuesday’s match comes after the tragic and heartbreaking death of Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who, on Sunday night, was named as one of the victim’s of the helicopter crash that occurred outside Leicester’s King Power Stadium. The thoughts of everybody at Last Word on Football are with the Srivaddhanaprabha family and the families of the four other victims.
Carabao Cup Fourth Round Preview
Round Four’s Big Games
Chelsea v Derby County
Derby’s reward for a stunning penalty shoot-out win at Old Trafford in round three is a return to Stamford Bridge for Rams boss Frank Lampard. The former Chelsea midfielder and club legend for the Blues has had a positive start to life at Derby and he will be relishing the opportunity to return to the ground where he is loved so much.
Chelsea reached this stage after coming from behind at Anfield in round three to inflict just one of two defeats for Liverpool this season. Late goals from Emerson Palmieri and Eden Hazard cancelled out a wonderful overhead kick from Daniel Sturridge that had opened the scoring.
Chelsea have been in much better form this season than Manchester United, Derby’s previous victims, so another from the Rams is unlikely. Lampard, though, is well known for producing magic at Stamford Bridge. The question is whether he can do it for another side and in a different role.
Arsenal v Blackpool
In the not too distant past, this fixture would have seen two Premier League sides coming together. The recent history of these two clubs couldn’t be more different, however. Arsenal have remained one of the biggest clubs in the country and have won the FA Cup on numerous occasions in the last few years, as well as reaching the final of this competition last season. Blackpool, however, find themselves in League One, having dropped all the way to League Two at one point, with a near-empty ground on most match days.
Blackpool have reached this impressive stage with a 3-1 win over Barnsley in round one, a 2-1 away win at Doncaster and a 2-0 win over Championship side Queens Park Rangers. Arsenal, who only came into the competition in the last round, got here with a comfortable 3-1 over Brentford at the Emirates.
This should be a routine win for Arsenal, who managed to put six without reply past the Tangerines on their last visit to North London, and that was when they were a top-flight side. Even with a slightly weakened side likely to be fielded by Unai Emery, Blackpool don’t really stand a chance in this one.
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur
The fourth round has drawn rivals West Ham and Tottenham together once again. These sides met at this stage of the competition last season, although at Wembley, and the Hammers prevailed on that night after a second-half fightback saw them come from 2-0 down to win 3-2.
Both of these teams have only played once in this competition so far this season and had perhaps the most contrasting results possible. Spurs, after going 2-1 ahead after an Isaac Success goal for Watford, were pegged back by Etienne Capoue’s late goal and to settle for a penalty shoot-out. Dele Alli scored the winner on his return to Stadium MK (the game being played in Milton Keynes due to Wembley being unavailable).
West Ham, meanwhile, hosted the side who are currently bottom of the Football League, Macclesfield Town. A 3-0 scoreline at the break was bad enough for the League Two sides, but the Hammers added a further five in the second half to condemn Macclesfield to an 8-0 loss, the heaviest loss in their history.
This game could go either way, depending on how seriously each side wants to take it. Spurs have far more important things to be focussing on, particularly their struggling Champions League campaign, whereas this could be a semi-realistic opportunity at a trophy for West Ham.
All Fixtures
Tuesday
Bournemouth v Norwich City
Burton Albion v Nottingham Forest
Leicester City v Southampton (Postponed – no new date announced yet)
Wednesday
Arsenal v Blackpool
Chelsea v Derby County
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur
Middlesbrough v Crystal Palace
Thursday
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