Carabao Cup reaction: Arsenal, Man City, Spurs & Newcastle through to fourth round

'A difficult start to the season for me'

Newcastle 4-1 Bradford

Joelinton spoke to BBC Radio Newcastle about his performance against Bradford City: "I enjoyed myself - not only because I scored two goals but also because the performance in general was very good. It gives us the confidence to push on.

"It has been a difficult start to the season for me. I hope I can keep going, be injury-free and play my best football.

"Like the Premier League and Champions League, the Carabao Cup is very important for us. We want to attack every competition and win every game."

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'Everyone will be looking over their shoulders' - Howe

Newcastle 4-1 Bradford

Ciaran Kelly

BBC Sport reporter at St James' Park

Bradford City manager Graham Alexander could not help but smile as he reflected on his side's 4-1 Carabao Cup loss at Newcastle United.

"You see the starting team that they put out," he said.

"As soon as we exchanged the teamsheets and we saw Bruno [Guimaraes] bring out the teamsheet, I thought, 'Right, OK, they're taking it properly. Real serious'."

Understandably so.

The holders were not about to underestimate the League One leaders - and did not want their defence of the trophy to end at the third-round stage. Not after a 70-year wait to win major domestic silverware.

Interestingly, Brazilians Guimaraes and Joelinton were the only starters on Wednesday night who also lined up when Newcastle beat Liverpool at Wembley to end that drought back in March.

However, such are the options now at head coach Eddie Howe's disposal, it proved a comfortable night, despite Bradford's efforts.

"The lads are very aware of the strength in depth," said Howe. "So everyone in their position will be looking over their shoulder going, 'If I don't play well today, there's someone else waiting to take my shirt'."

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Nothing makes you feel older than the children of a player you remember watching in their prime being old enough to play first-team football...

Still, for all that he received a fair amount of - largely unwarranted - stick later in his career, Emile Heskey was some player at his best.

You have to be to score 110 Premier League goals. If either Reigan or Jaden get anywhere close to that over the next decade or so then they'll have had a very good career...

'Their parents will be proud' - Heskey brothers make Man City debuts

Huddersfield 0-2 Man City

Shamoon Hafez

Football news reporter at Accu Stadium

When the travelling Manchester City fans at Huddersfield sang the names of Yaya and Kolo Toure among their usual repertoire of songs for former players, they might not have expected to see another set of brothers step onto the pitch in Yorkshire not long after.

However, after Pep Guardiola's side went 2-0 up against their League One hosts in the Carabao Cup, the manager turned to his bench and beckoned forward brothers Reigan and Jaden Heskey, who are the sons of ex-England striker Emile.

After being given their instructions from a bench which included Kolo Toure, now part of City's backroom staff, and 10 years on from dad Emile's last EFL Cup appearance, fans got to witness his sons making their first-team debuts for the club.

"Today, six players from the academy made the starting XI," said Guardiola. "Two more came on, the Heskey brothers. I think their father and mother will be so proud of their kids. That's really cool."

Reigan is described on the City website as a "tricky, clinical winger" and at 17 is the younger of the brothers, with Jaden two years older and seen as a "mature, hard-working" box-to-box midfielder.

Both are regulars in City's academy teams, with Jaden often wearing the captain's armband in the club's Premier League 2 matches. In 2024, he scored as City beat Leeds 4-0 to lift the FA Youth Cup.

"They're similar to me," Heskey told the Mail, external in August. "They are both very athletic.

"The young one is very quick. The older one is a bit of a beast like I was. They've both got similar attributes."

Against Huddersfield, Jaden got 14 minutes, replacing fellow academy graduate Nico O'Reilly, with Reigan coming on for Savinho shortly after.

Broadhead gets wish of plum Cardiff cup tie

Nathan Broadhead struck both goals against Reading to help fire Wrexham into the fourth round of the EFL Cup for the first time since 1977.

But the Wales international's household may well be split when Phil Parkinson's side host Cardiff City in round four next month.

Prior to the draw being made, the 27-year-old admitted he wanted Wrexham to be paired with the Bluebirds in the next round as his father supports Brian Barry-Murphy's side.

"I'd love Cardiff. My old man's a Cardiff fan," Broadhead said.

"I don't know what side he'd be on."

The former Ipswich Town man got his wish - with the pair set to meet at the Stok Cae Ras during the week beginning 27 October.

It ensures at least one Welsh team will reach the quarter-finals of the competition.

Given Swansea City's progress, the next round will see three Welsh teams feature in the last-16 for the first time in the competition's history.

And Broadhead feels the cup progress further demonstrates how Welsh football is in a good place at present.

"It just shows where Welsh football's going," he said.

"We're making steps, Craig Bellamy, Wrexham, I'm happy."

Cardiff boss Barry-Murphy's news conference coming up

Dafydd Pritchard

BBC Sport Wales at Cardiff City Stadium

Cardiff City head coach Brian Barry-Murphy will be speaking to the media in the next half an hour or so at his weekly news conference.

The Bluebirds have been drawn at fellow Welsh club Wrexham in one of the many eye-catching fourth-round ties in the EFL Cup, their first meeting for 21 years.

And with Swansea City securing a home fixture against Manchester City, this is the first time in the competition's history that three Welsh clubs have made it to the last 16.

Cardiff have made a promising start to the season in League One under former Man City Under-21s boss Barry-Murphy, while Wrexham are adjusting to life in the Championship after three successive promotions.

They started last season a division below Cardiff but, with their promotion and the Bluebirds' relegation, it's the north Wales club who will start next month's cup tie as favourites.

'Balance' very important under Frank

Tottenham 3-0 Doncaster

Spurs have three games in the next 10 days and that includes a trip north to Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League.

So it's perhaps no surprise that Thomas Frank made seven changes to his starting XI for the visit of Doncaster.

Frank wants his side to compete on all fronts this season and the fact he has only named the same team once this season - against Manchester City and Bournemouth - shows the Dane is willing to shake things up to maintain fitness.

“It’s the balance where we need to use the squad, want to use the squad, we’ve a strong squad and players who want and need to play. That’s very important," said Frank

“Then we need to make enough changes, but not too many, try to get them in the right positions. That’s the challenge.

"We all know, as I say all the time, if we’re going to play 60 plus games this season, we need to be really good at nailing that - making the right amount of changes per game.”

'Tel can be even better' - Frank

Tottenham 3-0 Doncaster

Earlier this month, Mathys Tel was left out of Spurs' Champions League squad by Thomas Frank.

Tel did not respond straight away but did tell Le Telegramme that "it definitely hurts" to not be included in the clubs' European campaign.

Frank said it was an “extremely difficult decision” to exclude Tel but that he handled it “maturely”.

However, a boost can be provided by looking at the players Frank has developed during his career as a manager - Yoane Wissa and Ollie Watkins spring to mind.

"His pressing ability is very good. I like the way he works in that situation and then, his link-up play is something that is a good level, but he can be even better," Frank said after the match.

"He really wanted to score and do well. Unfortunately, as a striker, that (is what) you get measured on. The overall performance was really a step forward. I really wanted him to score as well because that would make it an even better story.”

Time will Tel if Spurs spent wisely

Tottenham 3-0 Doncaster

Whilst last night marked just a second start of the season for Mathys Tel, his permanent move from Bayern Munich could not have got off to a worse start.

Having scored just three goals since joining on-loan, he is yet to find the back of the net for his club this season - although he did score twice for France's Under-21's.

With summer loan signing Randal Kolo Muani unavailable due to a dead leg injury against Doncaster, last night represented a good opportunity for the Frenchman to stamp his authority on the squad.

Instead, he offered very little and departed the match with debutant Luca Williams-Barnett on in his place to become Spurs' 900th player.

Mathys Tel for Spurs this season:

Appearances: 5

Minutes played: 199

Goals: 0

'That's why we got Eze - to win football matches'

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta spoke to Sky Sports following the victory: "We knew the crowd would be with them [Port Vale] if we gave them anything. In the second half and when they had throw in after throw in, we lacked control.

"They played directly, They wanted to attack the box and we wanted to avoid that. We had moments in the game where we were very dominant and very good."

On Eberechi Eze: "That's why we got him - to win football matches. He should've scored another two I think.

"His position depends on the players around him. There were certain moments where the space closed, so we moved him somewhere else. He is a player who has to be in touch with the ball and we have to find ways to do that."

'The first goal is always very special'

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal goalscorer Eberechi Eze spoke to Sky Sports after scoring his first goal for the club: "It was very special. I've been waiting to score for this club for a long time and the first goal is always very special.

"It is a very difficult place to come. It was important we got the first goal and we could move forward.

"You've seen in the past few weeks what players are doing when they come off the bench. We have a lot of depth and that brings fresh energy which is what we need."

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