The Carabao Cup second-round draw revealed thrilling matches, highlighting key matchups among Premier League and Championship teams.

Nottingham Forest, four-time winners, will face Leeds in the only all-Premier League clash. Other notable fixtures include:

• Chelsea hosting League One side Luton at Stamford Bridge.
• Tottenham welcoming Charlton, also from the Championship.
• Newcastle taking on West Brom.
• Fulham playing against AFC Wimbledon at Craven Cottage.

David Moyes returns to Deepdale as Everton visits Preston North End, where his managerial journey began.

Brentford faces a challenging away match against Birmingham City, while Ipswich will meet League One rivals Leicester.

In the southern section, West Ham, fresh from defeating Portsmouth, travels to Southampton.

The draw for the second round was organized into northern and southern sections, with all matches scheduled for the midweek of the week commencing Monday, 24 August. Notably, the nine English clubs participating in Europe this season will enter the competition in the third round.

The scheduling presents complications for Fulham and Chelsea, both drawn at home, as they must navigate potential overlaps with their Premier League fixtures. The police may need to make concessions, or the EFL will have to find creative solutions to avoid logistical conflicts. This situation could lead to disrupted travel plans for fans and complications for several EFL clubs, particularly affecting matches on Saturday, 29 August and Tuesday, 1 September.