Carabao Cup, victories for Newcastle and Leicester

English football is already back. While Argentina is celebrating Sunday’s World Cup in Buenos Aires, the round of 16 of the Carabao Cup has raised the curtain. The first 4 games of a round were played which will culminate on Thursday in the third match of the season between Manchester City and Liverpool. A challenge that the two clubs have anticipated with an open letter to the fans to try to lower the tension after the Premier League meeting in October.

THE GAMES

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Newcastle-Bournemouth was the only encounter of the day between two Premier teams: the Magpies won it, 1-0 thanks to Smith’s own goal in the 67th minute in front of 51,579 spectators. The hosts, third in the league, controlled the match, building up more chances but only managing to unlock from an own goal. All easy for Leicester, who went 3-0 away to Mk Dons, the team at the bottom of the League One table, the English third division. Much more difficult was Southampton’s 2-1 win over another League One team, Lincoln, who went first and overturned by a brace from Che Adams. Wolverhampton, last in the Premier League, also struggles and against Gillingham, a team that plays in League Two, unlocks only a penalty in the 77th minute with Raul Jimenez and finds the 2-0 in the 91st minute with Ait-Nouri.

THE PROGRAM

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The round of 16 of the Carabao Cup continues on Wednesday with three more matches: De Zerbi’s Brighton play in London at the home of Charlton, a League One team. Home commitment for United against Burnley, leaders in the Championship, Nottingham Forest plays at Blackburn, coached by former Milan striker Jon Dahl Tomasson. Thursday the highlight with City-Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium. The quarter-finals are scheduled from 10 January.