Chelsea to face Derby in League Cup quarter-finals as Bournemouth host Liverpool

Chelsea will face Derby County in a battle of table-toppers when the quarter-finals of the League Cup take place.

Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea are riding high at the top of the Premier League, having won seven and drawn two of their opening games, but Derby are not short of confidence themselves after enjoying a fine start to their Championship campaign.

Four-time League Cup winners Chelsea will hope for an easier ride than on Tuesday night, when they required a late goal to beat League Two side Shrewsbury Town. Derby, meanwhile, eased to a 5-2 win over fellow Championship outfit Fulham.

That fixture is the highlight of an exciting last-eight draw, with Newcastle United travelling to face Tottenham.

Alan Pardew’s men, who knocked out holders Manchester City in the fourth round prior to Wednesday’s quarter-final draw, will take heart from their Premier League victory at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

Tottenham bounced back from that defeat on Wednesday by overcoming Brighton and Hove Albion 2-0 to seal their progression.

Bournemouth, who like Derby are flying high in the second tier, face an exciting home clash with Liverpool, while Sheffield United play host to a Southampton team sitting second in the Premier League.

Fresh from an 8-0 Championship thrashing of Birmingham City last weekend and beating West Brom 2-1 on Tuesday to reach the last eight of the competition for the first time, Bournemouth midfielder Eunan O’Kane – who netted against Albion and was a trainee at Everton – is relishing the prospect of facing Liverpool.

“It is a fantastic tie for us,” O’Kane told BBC 5 live.

“We drew them in the FA Cup last year and they probably deserved their two-goal lead they took from our place but it will be a good opportunity to go up against them again.

“We are a better squad. We have more depth, the squad is much better and in terms of form we can’t have too many complaints.

“No-one here will go into the game in fear of them, we look forward to it.”