Manchester City's defence of the Carabao Cup begins in earnest on Thursday evening, with Norwich City the visitors to the Etihad. Enzo Maresca's side are aiming to extend a remarkable recent record in the competition — seven triumphs since 2014, five of them under Pep Guardiola.
The most recent of those came in March, when Arsenal were beaten 2-0 at Wembley. Nico O'Reilly scored twice that day, a performance that already feels like a milestone in the young midfielder's development.
Victory over Norwich would set up a fourth-round tie at home to Brighton, following Wednesday night's draw. That fixture would be played on Wednesday 28 October, one of the dates reserved for the last 16 — 27, 28 and 29 October.
Brighton's presence in the draw was secured by a stirring comeback at Old Trafford on Wednesday, Fabian Hürzeler's team recovering from two goals down to win. It was the kind of result that catches the eye, not least because it came at the ground of a club still searching for a coherent post-Ferguson identity.
Should the Seagulls visit the Etihad, they will do so with a curious hold over City in recent meetings. The Blues have not won any of their last four encounters with Brighton. Guardiola's final two visits to Sussex ended in 2-1 defeats, while the two most recent meetings in Manchester finished level.
This would be the first League Cup clash between the clubs since 2008. Mark Hughes's side drew 2-2 at the Withdean that night, with Gelson Fernandes and Stephen Ireland on target, before losing on penalties. Michael Ball was the only man to miss from 12 yards.
For those wishing to follow the action, all 92 Carabao Cup ties are broadcast live in the UK and Ireland by Sky Sports, with ITV showing at least one match per round free-to-air. In the United States, CBS Sports hold the rights, with selected games on their primary channel and the rest on Paramount+.