After Everton beat Leyton Orient 5-0 this evening at Goodison Park we're now only one game short of confirming all the 32 clubs that will be involved in the third round draw on Thursday night. The final two clubs potentially also going into the hat being League Two Northampton Town or Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers, that match being live on SKY Sports 1 at 7.45pm tomorrow, with the draw then coming shortly after the completion of that game, so let's hope it doesn't go extra-time and penalties.
Everton winning tonight then means there are still 18 of the 20 Premier League clubs left alive out of the 32 teams in the draw, which is neither regionalised nor seeded, with Fulham and Stoke City biting the dust last night, while the clubs who are involved in European competition this season have joined in at this stage. Those seven sides being Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.
There are still some juicy northern ties left too for Carlisle to bag in their remaining 13 possibilties outside a Premier League competititor. Burnley, Leeds United, Middlesbrough, Preston North End and Sheffield Wednesday all in the hat, as though are Coventry City, Crawley Town, Doncaster Rovers, MK Dons and Swindon Town from further afield in League One. The full list of teams involved in the round three draw, with games taking place in the week commencing 24th September, being as follows:
Arsenal
Aston Villa
Bradford City
Burnley
Burton Albion
Carlisle United
Chelsea
Coventry City
Crawley Town
Doncaster Rovers
Everton
Middlesbrough
Leeds United
Liverpool
Manchester City
Manchester United
MK Dons
Newcastle United
Norwich City
Preston North End
Queens Park Rangers
Reading
Sheffield Wednesday
Southampton
Sunderland
Swansea City
Swindon Town
Tottenham Hotspur
West Bromwich Albion
West Ham United
Wigan Athletic
Northampton Town or Wolverhampton Wanderers
*ties to be played in the week commencing 24th September.