Max Dowman has been handed the opportunity to establish himself as a regular Arsenal starter when Mikel Arteta’s side visit Fleetwood Town in the Carabao Cup, while Liverpool and Chelsea face a more delicate selection decision at Anfield.
The 16-year-old midfielder impressed in the previous round against Ipswich Town, producing a man-of-the-match display, and is expected to provide the creativity again against Fleetwood. Bukayo Saka’s injury has opened the door to a more prominent role, with Dowman now able to challenge Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze for a starting place rather than simply acting as a rotation option.
Dowman has been used sparingly since his breakthrough, but another influential performance could persuade Arteta to place greater responsibility on the teenager. Comparisons with Lamine Yamal’s early opportunities for Barcelona and Spain have intensified the debate over whether Arsenal should show similar faith in their young talent.
Liverpool and Chelsea weigh up their priorities
Liverpool’s meeting with Chelsea on Wednesday offers a test of how strongly Andoni Iraola and Xabi Alonso are prepared to line up with important Premier League fixtures approaching.
The Reds are enjoying a run of three consecutive victories and are in the middle of four successive home matches. Their next league game is against champions Arsenal, meaning the manager must decide whether to protect key players or maintain the momentum built by another cup victory.
One player expected to feature is Rio Ngumoha, who began his career at Chelsea. The young Liverpool forward impressed against Villarreal in the Champions League before appearing as a substitute in the win over Brighton.
Chelsea will be looking for a response after a poor defeat by Tottenham. Alonso is without the suspended Cole Palmer, who was sent off in that match, and must also consider a run of league games against Manchester United, Sunderland and Leeds.
Robbie Savage’s Peterborough United face a stern test at Bradford City as they seek a place in the quarter-finals for the first time since 1992. Savage has taken five points from his first four matches since leaving Forest Green Rovers, with Peterborough scoring seven goals during his short tenure.
Bradford, however, have conceded only five times in 12 League One matches and have kept four successive clean sheets under Michael Duff. Three of those games ended goalless, while Bradford have scored only 10 league goals, yet they sit third in the division. Tickets have been reduced to £5 as the club attempts to attract a large crowd for the tie.
Manchester City face Brighton test
Manchester City and Brighton meet twice this week, beginning with their Carabao Cup tie at the Etihad Stadium before a league rematch. For Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler, the fixtures represent a chance to demonstrate that his side can consistently compete with the Premier League’s leading teams.
Brighton have gone unbeaten in their last four matches against City, winning two and drawing two. Their high-intensity approach has caused City problems in the past, and Brighton will take confidence from that record despite their defeat at Liverpool.
Aston Villa and Bournemouth must also show that their European commitments have strengthened rather than weakened them. Villa have gone seven matches unbeaten in all competitions since beating Coventry City in the previous round, while Bournemouth arrive after victories over AC Milan and Manchester United during a four-game winning run.
Both clubs began the season slowly, but their improving form has coincided with their European campaigns. Their meeting will test the depth available to Unai Emery and Marco Rose as they attempt to balance continental football, the Premier League and a cup run.
Fulham’s clash with Crystal Palace carries a different significance. Alvaro Arbeloa’s side have won successive league matches against Hull and Coventry, with consecutive clean sheets suggesting a greater defensive stability, while Palace have lost to Brighton and Newcastle without scoring and have conceded seven goals.
Palace have allowed 19 league goals, the worst record in the division, placing increased pressure on Pierre Sage. Fulham can deepen their opponents’ difficulties by advancing, while Palace need a response to prevent the scrutiny surrounding their manager from intensifying.
Brentford will look to continue their strong Carabao Cup record when they travel to Sunderland. The Bees have reached the quarter-finals in three of the last five seasons, including each of the previous two campaigns, but Sunderland have lost only two of their last eight home League Cup fourth-round ties and will hope to rediscover the form they showed last season.
Everton and Newcastle could use their tie as an early preview of their Premier League meeting four days later. Everton’s squad has been stretched by illness and injury, while Newcastle have also lost options but were boosted by Anthony Elanga’s return in their league win over Crystal Palace.
The prospect of silverware may encourage Newcastle boss Matthias Jaissle to select a strong side. With the league meeting so close, Thursday’s match could offer both teams an opportunity to make an early statement before they meet again.
