EFL Cup Quarterfinal Preview: London Derbies headlines clashes
By David Parkes
The final 8 of the EFL Cup is upon us, and bar a seemingly unlikely postponement, the matches will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, with 8 teams hoping to be the first club not based in Manchester to lift the trophy since Chelsea back in 2014/15. Here is a preview of what to come over the next two days.
Arsenal vs Sunderland (Tuesday, 20:45 CET)
In a fixture that has not been seen in 4.5 years, Arsenal will fancy their chances at making the last 4 as they welcome Sunderland to the Emirates.
It has been a much more successful run of form for the Gunners, with three wins in as many matches, outscoring their opposition 9-1 in that run.
While they haven’t won this trophy in nearly 30 years, Mikel Arteta’s side will fancy their chances at going all the way this time around. With drama off the pitch regarding their now former skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, a win is not only expected but more than a welcome distraction.
For the Black Cats, they are the sole surviving non-Premier League club in the competition, having bested QPR in the last round on penalties.
While they are unbeaten in 4 league outings, this is their first test with Premier League opposition this season. Being considerable underdogs at the Emirates, it would be a remarkable feat for the Tyneside club to leave North London on top.