Fulham: Lewis, Richards, Stearman, Burn, Ream, Kacaniklic, Mattila, Christensen, Pringle, McCormack, Woodrow. Subs: Bodurov, Tunnicliffe, Lonergan, Dembele, Hyndman, Kavanagh, Evans.

Stoke: Given, Bardsley, Wollscheid, Wilson, Pieters, Sidwell, Cameron, Odemwingie, Ireland, Afellay, Crouch. Subs: Muniesa, Johnson, Arnautovic, Joselu, van Ginkel, Shaqiri, Haugaard.

Here we come - the players are out at Villa Park - and elsewhere. Let's get this on!

Splashing the cash hasn't really worked for Sunderland this summer has it?

The Black Cats, who finished 16th last season and are currently bottom, are so far yet to see a positive impact from their net spend of £27.5m, which puts them 13th on the list among Europe's elite.

Their high-profile arrivals included striker Fabio Borini and midfielder Jeremain Lens for about £8m each, plus midfielder Ricky Alvarez for £7.5m.

Still, the good news for Sunderland is Newcastle are even higher.

Adam Williams
BBC Sport at Madejski Stadium

"Sixth in the Championship hosts sixth in the Premier League tonight at the Madejski Stadium.

"Both managers have rung the changes for this one, but the hosts have surprisingly shuffled their pack more than the visitors.

"Reading make eight changes to the side which beat Bristol City 2-0 on Saturday, only Chris Gunter, Michael Hector and in form Nick Blackman start.

"Everton make just the five changes from the goalless draw at Swansea and hand starts to Aaron Lennon and Gerard Deulofeu.

"Leon Osman and Arouna Kone also return in a side which features plenty of experience."

Image source, Getty Images

Kcpkirby: For some reason I burst into tears when Phil Neville gave the penalty away to Romania in Euro 2000. 

Lisa Bowker: I cried for about 20 mins after Wycombe Wanderers survived relegation season before last! Unbelievable emotion!

Robbie Savage
606, BBC Radio 5 live

"The huge surprise is Roy Keane, how you can’t class Roy Keane as world class is ridiculous. 

"What defines a world-class player? Was Cantona world class? Should he make that list over Roy Keane and Peter Schmeichel?

"I know he’s got a book to sell but to not have Roy Keane, Peter Schmeichel and Rio Ferdinand in there is wrong."

If you wonder what this is all about - Sir Alex Ferguson has said that he only managed four world-class players in his time at Old Trafford. Cantona, Giggs, Scholes and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Image source, .

Everton have come unstuck in the third round in the previous three seasons, losing to Leeds (2012), Fulham (2013) and Swansea (2014).

Championship Reading have only gone beyond the third round once in the past nine years, losing 7-5 to Arsenal in the fourth round in October 2012 (the joint-highest scoring game in the competition's history).

The fourth round beckons for one of them...

Gary Rowett has done a cracking job since taking over at Birmingham and he looks to be loving the build-up to this one. Cracking jokes in the tunnel, back-slapping, you name it. 

BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

Breaking news - if not unexpected - from the FA - Diego Costa has been given a three-match ban after his clashes at the weekend.

Much more on that to come, I am sure...

BBC Sport's Paul Fletcher at Deepdale: "A slightly low key feel around Deepdale this evening. Preston are struggling in the Championship and Bournemouth are a long way from home for a midweek feature with a much-changed team against opposition from the division below them.

"It all adds up to operation underwhelming but cup competitions have got a long history of making a mockery of that sort of foolish talk."

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, .

Leicester striker Joe Dodoo is in from the start tonight.

Tim Sherwood is all smiles for the TV cameras as the players warm-up a rapidly-filling VIlla Park.

The kick-start his season needs? Or a worrying setback ahead?

Robbie Savage
BBC Radio 5 live

"From that game at the weekend, nobody comes out of it with any credit -  neither Arsenal, Chelsea or the FA.

"That game has become an absolute shambles – the act of kicking out should be punished, it sets a very dangerous precedent. Where is the punishment for the referee?"

Hull: Jakupovic, Taylor, Maguire, Bruce, Robertson, Elmohamady, Meyler, Livermore, Hayden, Maloney, Akpom. Subs: McGregor, Odubajo, Davies, Huddlestone, Hernandez, Clucas, Aluko.

Swansea: Nordfeldt, Amat, Tabanou, Bartley, Rangel, Britton, Sigurdsson, Routledge, Ki, Grimes, Eder. Subs: Shelvey, Gomis, Montero, Cork, Tremmel, Naughton, Fernandez.

Image source, PA

Not a huge crowd at Preston... as BBC Sport's Paul Fletcher's photo shows above. Still 25 minutes to fill up though...

Image source, .

Good news Sunderland fans - you won three of them...

The bad news though is Manchester City have scored in 16 consecutive away League Cup games, stretching back to the third round in 2003-04.