City paired with Swansea in League Cup

– Manchester City will start their defence of the English Football League Cup with a third-round trip to fellow Premier League side Swansea.

City won the competition last season under Manuel Pellegrini, beating Liverpool on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the final at Wembley.

Now managed by Pep Guardiola, City received a bye to the third round due to their participation in the Champions League and, on the day they saw off Steaua Bucharest 1-0 to clinch their place in the group stages of Europe’s elite club competition, the League Cup draw sent them to the Liberty Stadium.

City’s rivals Manchester United will travel to third-tier giant-killers Northampton, who shocked West Bromwich Albion on penalties after a 2-2 draw in the second round on Tuesday.

Chelsea face an intriguing clash at Premier League champions Leicester, while Arsenal visit second-tier Nottingham Forest.

Liverpool take on second-tier Derby at the iPro Stadium and Tottenham host third-tier Gillingham, who enjoyed a 2-1 win at Premier League Watford in the second round.

Fourth-tier Accrington’s reward for their 1-0 second-round win against Premier League Burnley is a trip to West Ham.

Fulham, who defeated topflight Middlesbrough 2-1 in the second round, take on Bristol City. – AFP

Nottingham Forest v Arsenal; Leeds v Blackburn; QPR v Sunderland; West Ham v Accrington; Southampton v Crystal Palace; Swansea v Manchester City; Fulham v Bristol City; Bournemouth v Preston; Tottenham v Gillingham; Everton v Norwich; Derby v Liverpool; Northampton v Manchester United; Brighton v Reading; Newcastle v Wolves; Stoke v Hull; Leicester v Chelsea.