The EFL Cup -- formerly the League Cup -- will have its final 16 teams once the third round concludes on Wednesday, a round which brings the seven Premier League teams from European competition into the fray.
Manchester City topped Liverpool to win last season’s tourney, its second title in two seasons. Chelsea, Swansea City, and Liverpool are the other clubs to have one the Cup in the past five seasons.
Chelsea and Leicester City enter the tournament with a match against each other at King Power Stadium on Tuesday, as N’Golo Kante returns to Leicester.
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Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri expects a warm reception for the engine of last season’s surprising champions, who looked back in form last week with twin blowouts of Club Brugge and Burnley.
Chelsea’s Eden Hazard will hope to help Antonio Conte arrest the club’s first mini-slump of the season, assuming he starts. The Blues drew Swansea before falling to Liverpool on Friday, and Arsenal awaits at the weekend.
Speaking of the Gunners, Arsene Wenger’s troops will visit Nottingham Forest on Tuesday. Could we say a season debut for USMNT prospect Gedion Zelalem?
Wednesday sees a trio of all-PL matches, as Manchester City mixes it up at Swansea City, Saints hosts Palace, and Hull City visits Stoke City.
Middlesbrough, Burnley, Watford, and West Bromwich Albion all exited the competition in the second round.
Full third round schedule
All matches at 2:45 p.m. ET unless indicated
Tuesday
Leicester City-Chelsea
Brighton-Reading
Bournemouth-Preston North End
Everton-Norwich City
Nottingham Forest-Arsenal
Newcastle United-Wolverhampton
Derby County-Liverpool
Leeds-Blackburn
Wednesday
Swansea City-Man City
Northampton-Man Utd
Southampton-Crystal Palace
QPR-Sunderland
West Ham United-Accrington Stanley
Fulham-Bristol City
Stoke City-Hull City -- 3 p.m. ET
Tottenham Hotspur-Gillingham -- 3 p.m. ET