Carabao Cup draw LIVE: Quarter-final 2019/20 latest as Liverpool, Man Utd and others learn fate
Liverpool will travel to Aston Villa while Manchester United host Colchester
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Liverpool have been drawn against Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals although a date for the fixture has yet to be agreed.
Jurgen Klopp suggested on Wednesday he could pull his side out of the competition if a date cannot be found for the quarter final, after the club reached the last eight via a penalty shoot-out following a 10-goal thriller against Arsenal.
As Champions League winners, Liverpool will be playing in the last four of the Club World Cup in Qatar on 18 December, with the Carabao Cup quarter-finals scheduled for the same week. The English Football League released a statement in reply to the Liverpool manager's comments, saying: "The EFL is in discussions with Liverpool to identify an alternative date given the club's participation in the FIFA Club World Cup competition." See below for full details of the draw.
Colchester have secured a lucrative trip to Manchester United, and the League Two club will be looking to cause further upset, having already knocked out top-division sides Tottenham and Crystal Palace in the competition's earlier rounds.
Manchester City, in search of their third successive league cup trophy, will travel to Oxford, after easing past Southampton on Tuesday in the fourth round.
Leicester will travel to Everton, who have never won the competition, after a 3-1 win at Burton on Tuesday.
The quarter-finals, aside from the Liverpool fixture, are set to take place the week starting December 16.
Dean Smith last night insisted Aston Villa must target Carabao Cup glory after their 2-1 win over Wolves.
Ahmed Elmohamady's winner sent Villa into the quarter-finals for the first time since 2012.
Anwar El Ghazi gave the hosts the lead but Patrick Cutrone's second-half effort briefly levelled.
Villa have beaten Sky Bet League Two Crewe and youthful Brighton and Wolves teams to reach the last eight and Smith wants the club to win the trophy for the first time in 23 years.
He said: "For me football is about trying to win something. Why not go all out to win it? You only get three opportunities (a season) if you're not in Europe.
"You enter three competitions and the title probably slipped away from us on Saturday so we have the Carabao Cup and FA Cup to fight for.
"We want to finish as high as we can but this is a priority as well. We have a proud history in this cup, we've won it five times, and want to continue to win it more and have days like we had in May at Wembley.
"There's still a long way to go but it was a deserved victory."
Wolves may have lost last night but Nuno Espirito Santo claimed he was satisfied with his young team.
The manager rested several established stars for Wolves' 21st game of the season as they continue to compete in Europe and the Premier League.
Chem Campbell, 16, became the club's second youngest player while teenagers Dion Sanderson and Taylor Perry were given their full debuts.
Nuno said: "It was a tough game, Villa are a good team, we know Dean, he has good ideas and it was hard. We managed well, we stuck to our shape and we balanced ourselves. We had our moments.
"The young players competed and gave everything, you have to give everything you've got.
"It's a building process. Since the beginning we've tried to give competition to the young boys.
"We tried to mix experience and talent. Their families should be proud, they are good lads."
The quarter-final draw will take place in around fifteen minutes time.
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard had no complaints with the goal that ended his side's Carabao Cup hopes for another season.
"The second goal doesn't come into the equation. It was special, a bolt out of the blue," Lampard said of Marcus Rashford's sensational second-half free-kick.
"It's great technique. It was a stunning strike from him, at a time when I felt we were really in the ascendancy.
"We've had seven wins on the trot, with some taxing games in the Champions League. Our form in the league has been really good, and it's clear they are our priorities.
"I saw a lot of positive things. I hate losing but it's clear there is a bigger picture."
Liverpool starlet Curtis Jones admits scoring the winning penalty against Arsenal was a "dream come true".
The Reds youngster settled a thrilling contest to see Jurgen Klopp's side through to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday night.
And the 18-year-old claims he was calm in the moment when the opportunity fell his way.
"Being a local lad it's always been my dream to get an appearance at Anfield. To get an assist to give us a chance and then to score a penalty is just a dream come true," Jones said.
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They may be the favourites ... but earlier this week Pep Guardiola claimed it was too early to start thinking about winning the Carabao Cup for a third successive year, after his team brushed aside Southampton 3-1 to reach the quarter-finals.
Sergio Aguero marked his 350th City appearance with a brace after Nicolas Otamendi opened the scoring at the Etihad Stadium.
Though the Saints showed some fight only days after their 9-0 thrashing at the hands of Leicester, getting a goal back through Jack Stephens, they were always second best in a game where City enjoyed 77 per cent possession.
But though few would bet against City in a competition in which they have not lost in over three years, 14 games and counting, Guardiola said he and his players are not yet thinking about a three-peat.
"They are not playing and thinking about winning the tournament," Guardiola said. "It's only when you play the semi-final or the final you start to think about that.
"For the players who didn't play it's good for their rhythm and for myself to see that they are fit, that they are good."
One positive for Arsenal, after yesterday's narrow loss at Liverpool? The performance of Mesut Ozil. The 31-year-old, making only his third appearance of the season, had a hand in three of Arsenal's goals but was withdrawn with Liverpool on top at 4-4.
It was the first time the former Germany international had featured in a match-day squad since the last round of the Carabao Cup, although manager Unai Emery claims he remains in contention for Premier League games.
"We had decided beforehand (to take off Ozil). He worked well in 65 minutes," he said.
"Ozil played very well. He played a very good match. We are going to play on Saturday and in my mind there's the possibility to use him again."
The draw should be taking place very soon, just as soon as Zoe Ball has finished spinning Younger by Jonas Blue (ft. HRVY).
... and now we're being treated to a chat with Jane McDonald, followed by a quick play of The Time Warp from The Rocky Horror Show.
What on earth is happening. The hallowed Carabao Cup plumbs scary new depths.
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