Simon Stone
BBC Sport Manchester United reporter at Old Trafford

The huge news surrounding JJ Gabriel's impending exit is a major blow to Manchester United.

It was interesting that Shea Lacey posted a picture of himself on social media last night walking down the tunnel at Old Trafford, with a red heart emoji.

As a Liverpudlian, that is the kind of commitment Manchester United fans love.

He gets his first senior start tonight. United fans will be desperate for him to do well.

Image source, @Shealacey10

Umir Irfan
Football tactics correspondent

Manchester United have a problem: the more possession they have of the football, the less likely they are to win.

Under Michael Carrick, they have averaged 1.5 points-per-game when they have had more than 50% possession.

When they have had less than 50% possession, that figure shoots up to 2.6 points-per-game.

So why is this? I've explained why Manchester United have become less likely to win when they have more of the ball below...

Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney, both Everton fans, are at the Hill Dickinson Stadium today.

Image source, PA Media

Coventry and Aston Villa sit 20th and 19th, respectively, in the Premier League with the newly promoted Sky Blues yet to score a goal or register a single point.

Villa's record hasn't been much better with one goal and one point. And that came against another newly promoted side, Hull City.

It's fair to say these are two sides very much looking to kickstart their season. Could the EFL Cup be the welcome distraction they need? Or an extra strain they could actually just do without?

Image source, Getty Images

Coventry boss Frank Lampard has continued to be optimistic about his side's current league situation and clearly sees the EFL Cup as an opportunity to galvanise his side.

"I'm very excited for the occasion and for the fans," he said. "We got to the Premier League for these kind of fixtures. I know this is a game that the fans hold dear and they haven't had so many of these in recent years.

"I understand the occasion and atmosphere will be big and hopefully we can tap in to that ourselves. We want to get the right result for our fans.

"We have to understand we're playing against a Premier League and a Champions League team. We're happy to have the support at home.

"It has a different feeling to what the Premier League stress brings. Cup football is great at this stage of the season to get a game that means so much to the fans, I think you should tap slightly in to the emotions of it."

Image source, Getty Images

Before what was intended to be a historic night at Old Trafford, Manchester United are still digesting the reality that teenage prodigy JJ Gabriel wants to leave.

The club have been left reeling at the sudden downturn in relations.

Only a week ago Gabriel scored a hat-trick on his Uefa Youth League debut at Leigh that seemed to be the prelude to becoming United's youngest player in history by making his debut against Brighton in the Carabao Cup third round this evening.

Now United are scrambling. Chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox are involved in talks they hope will result in their 15-year-old reversing his plan and choosing to stay.

It feels like a forlorn task.

A belief that promises have been broken and a certainty over Gabriel's current abilities and eventual destiny mean trust is low.

Real Madrid, Barcelona and Paris St-Germain are among the European heavyweight clubs monitoring the situation.

Read more about what could happen next here.

Another quiet weekend of football, wasn't it?

Oh no wait, there was one of the most controversial VAR decisions ever in Sunday's Manchester derby.

I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about, unless you've been living under a rock. Anyway we've now heard from the refereeing board, who said the video assistant referee "did not truly evaluate" the position of Manchester City's Enzo Fernandez - who went for the ball in an offside position - and were totally focussed on goalscorer Erling Haaland, who was not offside.

The goal stood and City took the three points.

With that story still very much making headlines, Manchester United must find a way to bounce back.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport Manchester United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Michael Carrick really needs a good end to this week.

A place in the Carabao Cup fourth round – to be played at the end of October – and a victory at Craven Cottage, would take some of the edge away from the current debate. If results go badly, it will feel as though United are in full blown crisis mode barely a month into a new campaign for the third successive year.

Brighton did knock Manchester United out of the FA Cup on their last visit to Old Trafford in January. However, United's 3-0 win at the Amex on the final day was one of the best performances under Carrick, who took charge immediately after the FA Cup tie.

Concern persists that summer recruitment was not extensive enough, and it will be interesting to see what changes the United boss makes for Wednesday evening's tie.

"It's important for us to win football matches, and it's important that we manage the squad as well, to keep everyone up to speed, keep everyone ready and keep everyone part of it," he said before the match.

"But we're certainly going into Wednesday trying to win the game."

Matt Lawlor's Fleetwood Town are yet to lose a competitive game this season.

They are in the League Two play-off places with two wins and four draws.

And they have beaten Chesterfield and Shrewsbury in the Carabao Cup to reach this stage.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder says "we've got everything to lose on the night" against League Two opposition.

"Sometimes you prefer to play a Premier League team where you have nothing to lose," he said.

"We've got everything to lose on the night, and we won't go into the game with that attitude. The preparation from Sunday to Wednesday will be the same if not more than towards Stoke at the weekend.

"We want to get through, and I want us to pull a big name out in the next round, whether it is home or away, it is loaded with Premier League teams, but to get there we've got to deal with Fleetwood first and foremost."

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder says his last trip to Fleetwood Town was memorable - but not for a reason you might expect.

Ethan Ebanks-Landell scored an injury-time equaliser for the Blades in a 1-1 draw in October 2016.

He told BBC Radio Sheffield: "I pulled my hamstring when I sprinted down the line. It was a big point for us.

"I proposed to my wife that night at Handsworth Social Club. So how can I forget?

"Classic romantic CW. No beach, just in the working men's club with a packet of sweets.

"Thankfully she accepted so it's one I'll never forget."

Everton are unbeaten in five matches this season - but the last three have all been draws.

They beat Preston 4-0 in the last round.

Wolves have knocked out Port Vale and Sheffield Wednesday and sit seventh in the Championship.

New Wolves boss Cesar Peixoto has only experienced defeat once in his first eight games in charge of the club.

The Portuguese confirmed earlier this week he would make changes today "because we have confidence in all the players".

He said: "We have players who need minutes, so they are to the same level to fight each other to play in the starting 11.

"I want to see what we’re capable of doing against Everton and we’ll put out a competitive team."

Who would step into Everton's number nine role if Thierno Barry gets injured between now and the January transfer window?

That's the question BBC Radio Merseyside's Phil Munns and Giulia Bould were debating after the goalless draw at Tottenham.

"You're going to disagree with me but I'm going to go with Tyrique George," said Bould. "I don't think there is a good answer and I'm glad I'm not David Moyes!

"I just wonder if he could be the striking answer."

Listen to the show here.

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist

Crunching tackles that help win hard-fought away points in an all-action performance are the kind of things Everton fans have become well accustomed to when watching James Garner.

Now the rest of the Premier League are starting to take proper notice.

Following Everton's goalless draw at Tottenham on Saturday, during which midfielder Garner bested a home line-up boasting the near-£200m midfield pairing of Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, Match of the Day pundit Thomas Frank hailed Garner's display.

It featured crucial challenges on Tonali and Fernandes to halt promising home attacks - by a player who missed a significant part of pre-season after hernia surgery.

"Garner today was extremely good," said Frank. "He is aware; he's talking; he's organising.

"In a high-press situation, he does the recovery, and that's just so exceptional and so important when you are playing against a team who are dominating you.

"He was running so hard, so that's one side of his game, but also so important is his touches. He is a lot on the ball. It's through him that a lot of things are happening."

Fellow pundit and former Everton defender Ashley Williams said: "He's really impressive. If you're a centre-back behind him, he's the type of midfielder you want."

Read more here.

BBC Radio 5 Live

You can listen to two of tonight's four games on this page - or any way you listen to BBC Radio 5 Live.

The main station has commentary of Manchester United v Brighton, while Everton v Wolves is on Sports Extra.

There are also local radio commentaries available (not online), if you live in the region.

Fleetwood Town XI: Lynch, Rooney, Bennett, Potter, Neal, McCann, McLean, Helm, Andrew, Loupalo-Bi, Evans.

Subs: Pradic, Davies, Thomas, Murphy, Coughlan, Haughey, Cirino, Robertson, Dempsey.

Sheffield United XI: Cooper, Doherty, Tanganga, McGuinness, Norrington-Davies, Donovan, Arblaster, Riedewald, Rothwell, Cannon, Campbell.

Subs: Davies, Choudhury, Kitching, Ayew, Shackleton, Brereton Diaz, Bamford, Baptiste, Peck.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport Manchester United reporter at Old Trafford

England Under-20 international Shea Lacey has been handed his first Manchester United start by head coach Michael Carrick. Lacey has been restricted to two substitutes appearances so far this season but is one of eight changes for the home side.

Goalkeeper Karl Darlow makes his debut, while Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven are partnered in central defence.

Marcus Rashford, Diogo Dalot and skipper Youri Tielemans keep their starting spots. Luke Shaw misses out for the third successive game.

Man Utd XI: Darlow, Dalot, Yoro, Heaven, Mazraoui, Santos, Tielemans, Lacey, Mount, Rashford, Sesko. Substitutes: Lammens, Maguire, Amass, Fernandes, Mainoo, T Fletcher, Cunha, Zirkzee, Mbuemo.

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler is looking for an Old Trafford cup double after his side beat United in the FA Cup third round last season.

He makes six changes, including England training keeper Jason Steele getting his first start of the season. Pascal Struijk and Chema Andres are also included.

Brighton XI: Steele, Costinha Vuskovic, Struijk, Boscagli, Chema, Gross, O'Reilly, Yalcouye, Hadjam, Kostoulas. Substitutes: Verbruggen, Dunk, Georginio, Promise, Osman, Kadioglu, Gomez, Ayari, De Cuyper.

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter at the CBS Arena

Manchester City loanee Stephen Mfuni and Yann Gboho are handed their Coventry debuts.

Boss Frank Lampard makes nine changes from Sunday's 5-0 defeat to Brighton with Gboho a late summer arrival from Toulouse.

Gustavo Hamer, Victor Torp and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto all start with Dan Bentley in goal.

Coventry XI: Bentley, Latibeaudiere, Amenda, Thomas, Mifuni, Yirenkyi, Hamer, Trop, Sakamoto, Gboho, Cherif.

Subs: Wilson, Pinnock, Grimes, Simms, Mason-Clark, Onyeka, Tchaouna, Bidwell,Thomas-Asante.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis makes his Aston Villa debut having been left out of the matchday squads since his £30m arrival from Southampton.

It is also a full debut for Matteo Ruggeri at left-back and £47m forward Ibrahim Mbaye.

Aston Villa XI: Bizot, Wan-Bissaka, Harwood-Bellis, Mings, Ruggeri, Bogarde, Barkley, Mbaye, McGinn, Hemmings, Abraham.

Subs: Suzuki, Cash, Lindelof, Kamara, Buendia, Jackson, Garnacho, Manzambi, Alysson.

Everton boss David Moyes makes five changes from Saturday's goalless draw against Tottenham in the Premier League.

Jack Grealish and Jake O'Brien make their first starts of the season for Everton.

Thierno Barry, who scored a hat-trick in the 4-0 win over Preston North End in the last round, leads the Toffees attack.

Everton XI: Pickford, Maitland-Niles, O'Brien, Keane, Mykolenko, Garner, Hackney, Dewsbury-Hall, Dibling, Grealish, Barry.

Subs: Travers, King, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, George, Johnson, Alcaraz, Graham, Olayiwola

Wolves boss Cesar Peixoto makes nine changes from the side that beat Sheffield United 1-0 in the Championship on Sunday.

Only Jackson Tchatchoua and Ladislav Krejci remain from the side that played at Bramall Lane.

Joao Virginia - against his old club - and Ghislain Konan make their Wolves debuts, while Sean Neave starts for the first time.

Wolves XI: Virginia, Tchatchoua, Toti, Krejci, Konan, Traore, James, Doyle, Chirewa, Neave, Jimenez.

Subs: Ruddy, Trippier, Bueno, Djiga, Munetsi, Bellegarde, Mane, Bertrand, Armstrong.