West Ham vs Arsenal LIVE: Latest Carabao Cup fourth round updates

Erik ten Hag was dancing on the Wembley turf with Lisandro Martinez and Antony. It was a ritual from their Ajax days when they won a trophy, one that threatened to become a regular sight in England as well. And, amid heady days for Manchester United, winning the club’s first piece of silverware for six years was arguably still not their best result of the week.

Three days before beating Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final, United had come from behind to defeat Barcelona. Antony, one of Ten Hag’s pet projects, had scored the decider. And when a seemingly catalytic Casemiro and a rejuvenated Marcus Rashford struck at Wembley, United were challenging for glory on four fronts. They had lost only twice in a run of 31 games, winning 17 of 21. Ten Hag was the Old Trafford alchemist. It was easy to believe he was the best United manager since Sir Alex Ferguson. Despite his natural reserve, the Dutchman gushed about his surroundings. “I just love United,” he said, with the glow of victory at the national stadium.

Eight months on, as two Uniteds reconvene in the same competition, Old Trafford scarcely feels shrouded in romance anymore. There may be more recrimination. There certainly is the now familiar sense of underachievement. Instead of emulating Ferguson, Ten Hag risks following in the footsteps of some of his immediate predecessors, by taking one step forwards and then two backwards.

If you’re looking for more pre-match content, read Richard Jolly’s preview of United’s clash with Newcastle:

There are plenty of other big games going on in the Carabao Cup tonight, including a rematch of last year’s final between Manchester United and Newcastle. Here’s what’s in store:

• Chelsea vs Blackburn
• Everton vs Burnley
• Bournemouth vs Liverpool
• Ipswich vs Fulham
• Man Utd vs Newcastle

Tuesday saw the first two fixtures in the fourth round take place, with League One’s Port Vale the first team to reach the last eight of the League Cup, for the first time in their history, after defeating Mansfield Town 1-0 on Tuesday evening.

Also through to the quarter-finals are Middlesbrough who defeat Exeter City 3-2 away from home. The League One hosts took the lead before two quick-fire second-half goals sent Boro ahead. Exeter equalised just after the hour mark but Emmanuel Latte Lath netted an 82nd-minute penalty to win the game.

Eddie Nketiah enjoyed a fruitful weekend after the England striker netted his first Premier League hat-trick in a convincing 5-0 win over bottom club Sheffield United.

Starting again tonight, the 24-year-old has earned the praise of Mikel Arteta who spoke in glowing terms about his striker after their win on Saturday.

“For me, he’s top-level,” Arteta said after the win.

“He has started eight out of the 10 Premier League games. So that tells you how much we trust him, how much I trust him and and the importance that he has in the team.

“I’m really happy for him, an academy player to experience in the Premier League a hat-trick. He needs to enjoy the moment. He fully deserves it and hopefully there are many more to come.

“He’s got an eye for goal. You look at the stats from his last 10 years. What he’s done is remarkable and he needs minutes, opportunities and service and if he gets that, Eddie is going to score goals, that’s for sure.”

A reminder that tonight’s Carabao Cup ties will go straight to penalties should they finish as a draw after 90 minutes, with extra-time only coming into play from the semi-final stage of the competition.

Premier League leaders Tottenham were knocked out on penalties by Fulham earlier in the tournament after the second-round match finished as a 1-1 draw following 90 minutes at Craven Cottage and those rules will apply again tonight.

In the semi-finals, extra time will be played should the aggregate score be level at the end of the second leg, followed by penalties if required.

The same rules are used for the Carabao Cup final, which is scheduled for 25 February 2024 at Wembley Stadium.

David Moyes expects Declan Rice to be “welcomed with open arms” when he returns to West Ham with Arsenal.

Rice is starting on the bench tonight but may come on to face his old club for the first time since joining the Gunners for £105million in the summer.

The 24-year-old made 245 appearances for West Ham and captained them to victory in the Europa Conference League, the club’s first silverware in 43 years.

“He should be welcomed back with open arms. We’re all looking forward to seeing him again.

“He was a brilliant member of the team. He led the team brilliantly well. He conducted himself impeccably as a West Ham captain and as a player.

“The most important thing was that he gave 100 per cent in every game, even though we sort of knew he probably wasn’t going to stay at West Ham. So all credit to him. He conducted himself brilliantly well and for that alone, he deserves to be cheered.”

A few surprises with the team news but the big news is Declan Rice who starts on the bench in his first game back at the London Stadium since leaving West Ham in the summer.

Jorginho will captain the away side with Aaron Ramsdale returning in between the sticks. Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard are on the bench, while Emile Smith Rowe misses out with a knee issue.

West Ham, meanwhile, have named a strong side as they look to reach the quarter-finals of the league cup. Said Benrahma returns on the wing and it looks like Jarrod Bowen will lead the line with both Michail Antonio and Danny Ings on the bench.

West Ham XI: Fabianski; Coufal, Mavropanos, Aguerd, Emerson; Alvarez, Soucek; Kudus, Paqueta, Benrahma; Bowen.

Arsenal XI: Ramsdale; White, Kiwior, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Jorginho, Havertz, Vieira; Nelson, Trossard, Nketiah.

When Declan Rice pictured himself at Arsenal, he tried to imagine how “unusual” a night like tonight would be. After a decade at West Ham, Rice returns to east London for the first time since his £105m move to the Gunners. He does so as the most expensive English player of all time and a West Ham legend at 24. Rice’s final West Ham appearance made sure of that: by lifting the Europa Conference League, he became just the third West Ham captain in the club’s history to win a major trophy.

The boy who was released by Chelsea aged 14 grew up at West Ham. He found a home and when he left, he did so as the club’s most established England international since Sir Trevor Brooking, their greatest captain since Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds. He left as an outstanding midfielder who had outgrown the London Stadium, who could have walked into and then improved any side in Europe.

That Rice chose to move across London and join Arsenal may have hurt the club and supporters he says he holds in his heart, which may be why some boos rain down on Wednesday evening, – but his application and commitment to West Ham when his head could have previously been turned, leading to a night of glorious triumph in Prague, ensures he should be “welcomed back with open arms”, as David Moyes put it.

Ahead of tonight’s clash, Jamie Braidwood takes a look at Declan Rice ahead of his return to the London Stadium:

The Carabao Cup fourth round continues tonight with the remaining teams competing for a place in the quarter-finals.

League One’s Port Vale were the first team to reach the last eight of the League Cup, for the first time in their history, after defeating Mansfield Town on Tuesday evening, while an 83rd-minute penalty earned Middlesbrough a 3-2 victory away at Exeter.

There are plenty of Premier League sides in action tonight as Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea all attempt to reach the quarter-finals.

The draw for the last eight is expected to take place at the conclusion of Man Utd vs Newcastle so here’s everything you need to know: