Lincoln City will discover their League Cup third-round opponents this evening after securing their place in the last 32 of the competition.
The Imps progressed with an impressive victory over Blackpool at Bloomfield Road, setting up the possibility of another high-profile tie when the nine Premier League clubs involved in European competition enter the draw.
City faced Chelsea at Sincil Bank at this stage last season, eventually losing 2-1 despite pushing the Premier League side all the way. They will now learn whether another of England’s leading clubs awaits them this time around.
When is the third-round draw?
The draw will take place on Wednesday, August 26, following the conclusion of Preston North End’s second-round tie against Everton at Deepdale.
That match kicks off at 8 pm, meaning the draw is likely to begin shortly before 10 pm, depending on whether the game is settled inside 90 minutes.
It will be shown live in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports, with the draw taking place once the action at Deepdale has concluded.
Who could Lincoln City face?
Unlike the opening two rounds of the competition, the third-round draw will not be divided into northern and southern sections. That means City could be paired with any eligible club, regardless of its location. Tottenham away, olé olé?
Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Bournemouth, Sunderland, Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace will all enter the competition at this stage because of their involvement in European football.
A number of other Premier League clubs are already through or will complete their second-round ties before the draw. The confirmed and potential opponents include Barnsley, Brentford, Sheffield United, Bournemouth, Bradford City or Burnley, Brighton, Norwich City, Millwall, Crystal Palace, Middlesbrough, Fleetwood Town, Fulham or AFC Wimbledon, Ipswich Town, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United or West Bromwich Albion, Leeds United, Coventry City, Preston or Everton, Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Ham United, Reading, Hull City, Sunderland, Tottenham Hotspur or Charlton Athletic, Leyton Orient and Peterborough United.
The identity of every third-round participant will not necessarily be settled before the draw. Chelsea, for example, host Luton Town in their second-round tie on Thursday evening, meaning their next opponents will already have been determined before they play.
How will the draw work?
There is an additional restriction involving the eight clubs competing in the Champions League and Europa League. Those teams cannot be drawn against one another in the third round because of potential scheduling difficulties.
A separate pre-draw will determine whether each of those eight clubs is at home or away. The first eight ties drawn will then involve those sides, with the remainder of the competition proceeding as an open draw.
That restriction does not prevent Lincoln from facing one of the European qualifiers. The Imps could therefore be handed a tie against Arsenal, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Manchester City or Manchester United, among others.
When will the games be played?
Third-round matches will be spread across two separate midweeks because of clashes with the opening rounds of the Champions League and Europa League.
Ties will be played during the weeks beginning Monday, September 7 and Monday, September 14. The exact date, kick-off time and broadcast arrangements for Lincoln’s fixture will be confirmed after the draw.
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