Tickets on sale for Cup tie that could have new format

Tickets for Sunderland’s game against Bury are on sale – and the Carabao Cup clash could see the two teams taking part in a new penalty shoot-out format.

Tickets for the first round tie at Gigg Lane next Thursday, August 10 (KO 7.45pm) are priced at £15 (adults), £10 (over-65s and under-23s) and £5 (under-12s).

They are on sale to season card holders using the Black Cat Points system now and general sale from tomorrow, subject to availability.

The game could see Sunderland take part in the new ‘ABBA’ format for penalty shoot-outs which has been introduced this season.

Already being trialled by UEFA, the system is based on the format used in tennis tiebreaks, with the team taking the first kick in each pair of kicks alternating, so AB BA AB and so on instead of AB AB etc.

The EFL’s trial of the format will apply to this season’s Carabao Cup, Checkatrade Trophy and the end-of-season play-offs, with the first opportunity for its use coming in the Carabao Cup’s first round next midweek.

EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey said: “IFAB have identified a theory that the current arrangements for penalty kicks potentially provide an unfair advantage to the team taking the first kick so we are keen to see if the new system has an impact on one of the most discussed issues in football.”

The FA has decided to take no further action against John Terry or Chelsea after investigating the circumstances of his substitution in his final game against Sunderland at the end of last season.

Having worn the number 26 jersey at Chelsea, Terry left the field at Stamford Bridge through a guard of honour after 26 minutes of the champions’ 5-1 win.

The FA’s Integrity Department said it would investigate the substitution after it emerged several punters had won thousands of pounds for betting on the exact time of Terry’s substitution at odds of 100-1.

However, it is understood that the FA has now decided there is no case to answer as there is no evidence to suggest this was inside information intended for the purposes of betting and is therefore not a deliberate attempt at so-called spot-fixing.