Arsenal to face Tottenham in EFL Cup quarter-finals
The English Football Association (FA) conducted the quarter-final draw yesterday, October 31, right after the round of 16 matches.
Arsenal and Tottenham have a traditional rivalry, and they will continue that tradition by facing off head-to-head in the quarter-finals of the League Cup, after defeating Blackpool and West Ham in the round of 16 respectively.
"I think it will be an exciting game. A derby. I always like to play against big opponents. It's good to play against Unai Emery and his staff," coach Mauricio Pochettino told Sky Sport when he learned of the draw.
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London witnessed another fierce derby between Arsenal and Tottenham. |
"We are good friends from our time in Spain. Unai is a great coach and has great colleagues. Facing his Arsenal will be a big challenge, and I am looking forward to it," added the Tottenham manager.
Both Arsenal and Tottenham have reasons to be committed in the quarter-finals. The League Cup is only the last priority for each team. But with the Premier League and European competition so fierce, this domestic competition offers both teams a better chance of winning a trophy in 2018-19.
In another all-Premier League quarter-final, Chelsea will face Bournemouth. Chelsea were coming off a hard-fought 3-2 win over Frank Lampard's Derby County, while Bournemouth eased past Norwich City 2-1.
Burton Albion, from League One, and Middlesbrough from the Championship are the only two non-Premier League sides left in the quarter-finals of the League Cup. And being drawn in the same quarter-final means one of the two lower-league sides will be in the semi-finals.
The remaining quarter-final will be between the winners of today's Man City - Fulham match, November 1, and Leicester - Southampton. The Leicester - Southampton match has not yet been scheduled, after being cancelled on October 30 due to the helicopter crash that killed Leicester's chairman Vichai.
The quarter-finals of the English League Cup will take place in the week commencing 17 December.
2018-2019 English League Cup quarter-final draw results
Arsenal - Tottenham
Leicester/Southampton - Man City/Fulham
Middlesbrough - Burton Albion
Chelsea - Bournemouth