Arsenal cannot face Manchester United or Liverpool in the Carabao Cup third round.
Last season’s beaten finalists enter the domestic cup competition at the third round stage and will discover their opponents when the Carabao Cup draw takes place on Wednesday night.
Also entering the fray are Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Brighton, Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Manchester City, Man United, and Sunderland.
European qualification separates teams
As all eight teams and the Gunners have qualified for European competition this season, it means they will be kept apart in the Carabao Cup third round.
Therefore, Arsenal will not have the chance to gain revenge on Man City for defeat in last season’s final until the fourth round at the earliest - provided both teams progress.
Draw format explained
A statement via the club’s website reads: “Due to our involvement in the UEFA Champions League, the draw will be carried out differently to the usual format.
“All sides that have qualified for the European league phases will be kept from facing each other in a pre-draw. This draw will decide whether each of the eight Champions League and Europa League Clubs will be at home or away.
“There will then be a main draw, where the first eight ties will involve those Champions League and Europa League clubs, with their home or away position already having been decided.
“Each side will be drawn against a club from a separate bowl containing the remaining teams.”
Potential opponents and schedule
Arsenal, however, could face Chelsea or Tottenham in the Carabao Cup third round as neither of their London rivals have qualified for Europe this season.
They must, though, overcome Luton Town - managed by Jack Wilshere - and Charlton respectively to be in with a chance of setting up a blockbuster third round showdown.
Arsenal have been allocated ball number two for the Carabao Cup third round draw and their potential opponents are as follows:
- Barnsley
- Brentford
- Coventry
- Fleetwood
- Hull
- Ipswich
- Leeds
- Leyton Orient
- Lincoln
- Middlesbrough
- Millwall
- Norwich
- Peterborough
- Reading
- Sheffield United
- West Ham
- Wolves
- Bradford or Burnley
- Newcastle or West Brom
- Tottenham or Charlton
- Preston or Everton
- Chelsea or Luton
- Fulham or AFC Wimbledon
The third round matches are scheduled to take place across back to back weeks, from September 7 and then September 14.
The ties will be played as single-leg fixtures, with the winners progressing to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.
