EFL confirm and take responsibility for an error with the Carabao Cup draw involving Newcastle, Man City, Norwich and Fulham.
A spokesperson has said that the ‘small’ blunder doesn’t throw the integrity of the draw into question and remain satisfied with all ties that came out.
It saw Newcastle drawn against Manchester City and Norwich face Fulham respectively next month
But as per an EFL spokesperson to Express Sport, they acknowledge that Newcastle and Norwich were in fact assigned the incorrect balls.
They said: “The numbers for the Round Three draw of the Carabao Cup were allocated and communicated in advance of the draw taking place on Wednesday evening and were drawn in-line with the usual strict protocols and conditions.
“The League accepts that the list published was not in alphabetical order, however, under Cup rules, the draw does not require for numbers to be allocated on that basis as is demonstrated by those teams who progressed on Wednesday night.
“As a result, the EFL views the draw as completely valid with no impact to competition integrity.”
Newcastle fans spotted that they were the wrong ball number during the draw after being handed number 20.
If Newcastle were given their correct number in the draw (19), they would have drawn Fulham away, while Norwich should have got Man City.
As can be seen below, draw numbers were done in alphabetically, with the only mistake being Norwich and Newcastle in the wrong order.
If Newcastle were given their correct number in the draw (19) we would have drawn Fulham away.
As you can see, draw numbers are done in alphabetically, with the only mistake being Norwich and Newcastle in the wrong order.
Hmm @Carabao_Cup 🤔 pic.twitter.com/BlFZPAQ4Fp
— NUFC HQ (@NUFC_HQ) August 30, 2023
CARABAO CUP THIRD ROUND DRAW
Ipswich Town vs Wolves
Exeter vs Luton Town
Aston Villa vs Everton
Manchester United vs Crystal Palace
Port Vale vs Sutton United
Bradford vs Middlesbrough
Bournemouth vs Stoke City
Lincoln City vs West Ham United
Brentford vs Arsenal
Chelsea vs Brighton
Salford City vs Burnley
Fulham vs Norwich City
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
Liverpool vs Leicester City
Newcastle United vs Manchester City
Mansfield Town vs Peterborough
Here’s how fans reacted as the EFL confirm an error with the 2023/24 Carabao Cup Third Round draw involving Newcastle, Man City, Norwich and Fulham…
@DanLang12: When any part of a draw is incorrect then the whole draw has to be done again it’s always been the rules
@MarkNTaylor: Strange this hasn’t been picked up by @SkySports or @SkySportsPL as not managing to be able to do the alphabet for a cup draw is a pretty big news. #LeagueCup #NUFC
@RichySouthern: The most Newcastle United thing I’ve ever seen. 🥴 No wonder most of our fanbase is paranoid. Brutal league fixtures & now a confirmed error in the cup draw to land us Man City. Class 🙃
@CoreOfNufc: Surely should be a redraw then? #nufc
@GeordieGeppetto: The efl might see it as valid but we certainly don’t
@NUFCLC: We’ll take the draw we should have had then, the utter jokers.
@joelintoast: Nobody would be shouting for a redraw if we got given Salford. We would have been completely fine about the lack of alphabetical integrity. You have to beat the best teams to win a cup. It’s as simple as that.
@InfernArchitect: Being a Norwich fan. We will quite happily swap. We never beat Fulham
@FRFC_NUFC: They must’ve thought ‘Nucastle’ in their heads when putting the list together
@MartinJBuck: To be fair with our record at Fulham Norwich would prefer Man city
@Iamagoldengod4: @SkySports void draw
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