In the quarterfinals of the 2026-27 Carabao Cup, the draw held on Friday made it clear that only two teams from the “Big Six” will remain in the competition: Manchester City and Liverpool. The matches will be held the week beginning December 14 and will determine who will advance to the semifinals.
Manchester City, who defend the title under the direction of Enzo Maresca, will face Bradford, a club that competes in the Third Division. For its part, Liverpool, led by Andoni Iraola, will have to overcome Bournemouth, which occupies the Second Division position. Both pairings put teams in a direct duel with rivals from different categories, which adds an element of unpredictability to the phase.
The rest of the “Big Six” teams have already been eliminated in previous rounds. Chelsea, under the management of Xabi Alonso, lost in the third round against Liverpool in a penalty shootout (6-5) after a 1-1 draw. Liverpool also took home Tottenham (3‑1) and Manchester United, who were eliminated by Brighton (3‑2) in the same round. Arsenal, who had reached the round of 16, were surprised by Fleetwood Town, a Fourth Division club, in a penalty shootout (5-3) after a 1-1 draw.
Fleetwood Town, who have become the most unexpected club in the competition, will face the winner of the tie between Everton and Newcastle, which will be played on Thursday. This confrontation promises to be an interesting clash between a Premier League team and a Second Division club, and could define who will advance to the next phase.
With the Carabao Cup quarterfinals scheduled for the week of December 14, fans will be able to enjoy matches that combine the quality of the “Big Six” teams with the surprise of the lower category clubs. The outcome of these matches will determine who will have the opportunity to compete for the title in the semi-finals and, potentially, the final of the competition.