New EFL Cup seeding system keeps apart clubs in Europe

The third-round ties will be played in the weeks commencing 16 and 23 September

Carabao Cup holders Liverpool will begin the defence of their crown at home to West Ham in the third round as a seeding system was introduced in the competition for the first time.

The six English sides taking part in the Champions League and Europa League were all seeded in the draw, meaning they would not have to face each other at this stage.

Arsenal were drawn at home to League One side Bolton Wanderers, with Manchester United welcoming Barnsley to Old Trafford.

Reigning Premier League champions Manchester City will take on Championship Watford at Etihad Stadium, while Aston Villa and Tottenham have been handed trips to Wycombe and Coventry respectively.

League Two side Barrow's reward for reaching the third round for the first time since 1967-68 is a trip to beaten 2024 finalists Chelsea, while AFC Wimbledon - who defeated Premier League Ipswich on penalties in the second round - will host Newcastle.

There are three all-Premier League encounters, as Everton face Southampton at Goodison Park and Brighton host Wolves at the Amex Stadium.

The changes to this year's third-round draw were brought in following the expansion of the Champions League and Europa League, which will see clubs play a minimum of two extra matches.

Ties will take place in the weeks commencing 16 and 23 September, with Champions League and Europa League fixtures also scheduled during this period.

Carabao Cup third-round ties

Liverpool v West Ham

Manchester City v Watford

Arsenal v Bolton

Manchester United v Barnsley

Wycombe v Aston Villa

Coventry v Tottenham

Walsall v Leicester

Brentford v Leyton Orient

Blackpool v Sheffield Wednesday

Preston v Fulham

Everton v Southampton

QPR v Crystal Palace

Stoke v Fleetwood

Brighton v Wolves

AFC Wimbledon v Newcastle

Chelsea v Barrow

What was different about this year's third-round draw?

This year's third-round Carabao Cup draw was the first since the EFL announced changes to the drawing format.

Like in previous years, the top-seven teams from the previous season's Premier League were given byes to the third round.

However, because of the expansion of the Champions League and Europa League for the 2024-25 season, the EFL created a two-pot system to avoid fixture clashes for teams competing in Europe.

It meant, for the first time, there was a seeding system in place for the draw.

The first pot included the six teams that are competing in the Champions League and Europa League this season - Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Tottenham and Manchester United.

The second pot included the other 26 teams that made it through to the third round.

Teams in the first pot could not draw one another in the third round and they were pre-drawn in order to determine if they would play at home or away.

The first six teams drawn from pot two were then selected to play against one of the teams drawn from pot one.