Teams learn opponents in 2018/19 Carabao Cup first round draw

Clubs from the EFL have been drawn against each other for the 2018/19 Carabao Cup first round, with the draw having taken place in Vietnam on Friday morning.

Last season saw Manchester City lift the famous trophy but at this stage of the competition, only outfits from the English Football League qualify, apart from Stoke and Swansea - top-flight teams enter in the second round and those competing in Europe come after that.

The draw was minimised to north and south seeding, with a number of interesting fixtures being pulled out the hat.

Baggies host League One new boys

Of the three clubs relegated to the Championship at the end of the 2017/18 campaign, only West Bromwich Albion, managed by Darren Moore, were in the hat to be drawn in the first round of the Carabao Cup.

The Baggies will be eager to make a return to the top-flight, however, the West Midlands outfit learned that they are going to host League One's newly promoted side Luton Town at the Hawthorns Stadium in August.

West Brom fell out at the second hurdle in the third round last year at the hands of eventual winners Manchester City; previously overcoming Accrington Stanley on their travels.

Other ties see Aston Villa on the road to the south-west in a game against Yeovil Town, whilst Leeds United will play at home to Bolton Wanderers; two teams in the same division who meet each other in this competition.

Sunderland, who endured a torrid campaign last time out and suffered the drop to the third-tier, welcome Championship opposition as Sheffield Wednesday make the trip to Wearside for their first-round encounter; a game which saw the visitors run out 3-1 victors in the league last season.

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Local affair hands interesting tie

With the north and sound seeding, there was bound to be a few local fixtures to come out of the draw and fans have several to look forward to come from the first round ties.

Championship side Millwall entertain Gillingham at The New Den - the distance between those two clubs is merely thirty miles and both have a historic rivalry over each other, so the Lions and Gills will be thrilled to get one over another in the game.