City to clash with Chelsea; Isak set for Newcastle move

LONDON • Manchester City, winners of four of the past five editions of the English League Cup, will face Chelsea in the pick of the ties after the draw for the third round was made on Wednesday.

It is one of six all-Premier League clashes along with Manchester United v Aston Villa, Arsenal v Brighton & Hove Albion, Nottingham Forest v Tottenham, Wolverhampton Wanderers v Leeds and Everton v Bournemouth.

The games will be played Nov 8-10.

Newcastle and Leeds overcame lower-division opposition to secure their places in the third round with victories on Wednesday.

The Magpies had to fight back from a goal down to beat fourth-tier Tranmere Rovers, who had taken the lead through a 24th-minute Elliott Nevitt finish.

Jamaal Lascelles brought Eddie Howe's side level with a close-range drive before the interval and Chris Wood glanced home in the 52nd minute to secure a 2-1 win.

Newcastle have begun the season brightly, sitting sixth in the Premier League table after two draws, including one with City at home last weekend, and a win.

They were the biggest spenders in the January transfer window and after an extensive search, including moving for Hugo Ekitike, who decided to join Paris Saint-Germain instead, Howe has finally settled on his first big-money summer signing.

British media reports yesterday said Newcastle had agreed a club-record £60 million (S$98.6 million) deal with Real Sociedad for Alexander Isak.

The Sweden striker yesterday flew to Tyneside to have his medical examination.

Since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2019, Isak, 22, has scored 44 goals in 132 games for the La Liga side and his sale will be the biggest in Sociedad history.

The deal also eclipses the £40 million fees that Newcastle previously paid for Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes each.

He will become the Saudi-owned club's fourth signing of the summer after the additions of Sven Botman, Matt Targett and Nick Pope.

Former Newcastle full-back Ryan Taylor yesterday told local daily The Evening Chronicle the deal would be a game-changer.

"They're (the owners) going to a new level and it looks like they're buying top, top quality from now on. This could be the start of what we thought was going to happen at Newcastle," he said.

Elsewhere, Leeds also had a scare in the League Cup before running out 3-1 second-round winners over Yorkshire neighbours Barnsley.

A Luis Sinisterra strike from 20m put Leeds on their way before Mateusz Klich doubled the advantage from the penalty spot.

A diving header from Mads Andersen gave Barnsley some hope and they could have drawn level from the penalty spot but Callum Styles hit the post.

Klich then made sure of the victory for Leeds with a curling shot in the 56th minute.

Brighton cruised to a 3-0 win at League One's Forest Green Rovers while Championship side Bristol City won 3-1 at League One Wycombe Wanderers.

REUTERS