The Champions League has changed the economic landscape forever. These days, the League Cup, despite its limited financial pull, is still a huge way for clubs to pick up silverware, and that is not to be sniffed at in these turbulent times!
This season’s competition is in the fourth round, with matches kicking off today (October 28) and continuing tomorrow. The defending champions are Newcastle United, who beat Liverpool 2-1 in the 2024-25 final, their first-ever Carabao Cup triumph. This season’s early rounds saw some upsets, but the big clubs are dominating as expected.
Perhaps the smart money is clearly on Manchester City to eventually lift the Carabao Cup; however, the smart money for gamers has to a Neosurf voucher UK, which operates a prepaid voucher system that allows secure online payments without sharing bank details. It’s widely accepted by over 20,000 websites for gaming, shopping, and more. In the UK, vouchers are available in denominations like £10, £15, £20, £50, and £100.
Key fourth-round fixtures include:
Newcastle United vs. Tottenham Hotspur
Arsenal vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
Liverpool vs. Crystal Palace
Chelsea vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers
Manchester City vs. Southampton (based on progression; confirm live results)
Brentford vs. Grimsby Town
Fulham vs. Wycombe Wanderers
Wrexham vs. Cardiff City
Predicting the outright winner this early is tricky—anything can happen in a cup competition with its random draws and rotation policies. However, based on current form, historical success, and squad depth, the top favourites are the usual suspects from the Premier League elite. Which is no indicator of how things will pan out. The phrase that pays, here, is. ‘The magic of the cup’.
Manchester City can win the 2025–26 Carabao Cup; they’re currently in the fourth round after a 2–0 win over Huddersfield Town in the third round on September 24. Their next match is away at Swansea City on October 29, with the quarter-final draw taking place the following day.
The competition progresses to the fifth round in mid-December, semifinals in January, and the final in late February 2026 at Wembley, so City remain in strong contention as one of the eight-time winners.
Who will win a knockout competition is something that obviously keeps the lights on in every bookmaker on the planet, but for me, I’d probably go with Manchester City to lift the trophy. They’ve got the deepest bench for midweek rotations, unreal consistency in knockouts, and a straightforward path so far. Liverpool could edge it if they hit stride, but City’s experience tips it for me. Keep an eye on underdogs like Brentford; they are a side that who are likely to gain momentum once they begin knocking out higher-tier sides.
