The Carabao Cup starts here! What do you mean seven Premier League teams, including Aston Villa and Manchester United, are already out of the competition? Fair point. But it’s not the point, so pipe down.
The point is that Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and the holders Newcastle – who between them have won 10 of the last 12 League Cups – are among the clubs joining the competition this week.
Chelsea and Liverpool are first up with matches against Lincoln and Southampton respectively. We’re all friends here, so can acknowledge that tonight’s fixture list is not the most mouthwatering in Guardian clockwatch history. But cup nights usually throw up some quality watercooler fodder, so stay us with unguaranteed excitement.
These are tonight’s fixtures; all are 7.45pm kick-offs unless otherwise jolly well stated.
Barnsley v Brighton
Burnley v Cardiff
Fulham v Cambridge
Lincoln v Chelsea
Wigan v Wycombe
Wolves v Everton
Wrexham v Reading
Liverpool v Southampton (8pm)