Liverpool to Host Southampton, Marseille in Key Cup Matches

Marseille returns to the Champions League in the 2025 season after missing out last year, drawing Premier League teams Liverpool and Newcastle United for home matches at the Vélodrome. Marseille, placed in Pot 3, will also face Union Saint-Gilloise, Club Brugge, Atalanta BC, and Real Madrid, revisiting intense European competition. Meanwhile, Liverpool is set to host Championship side Southampton in the third round of the League Cup, with the match scheduled for the week of September 22, sandwiched between league fixtures against Everton and Crystal Palace. Southampton, newly relegated and sitting mid-table in the Championship, face a daunting challenge at Anfield, where Liverpool has a strong home record, though upsets remain possible in the cup format. The League Cup third round also features major upsets like Manchester United's defeat by League Two Grimsby Town, with Grimsby advancing to face Sheffield Wednesday, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the competition. Other notable fixtures include Newcastle hosting Bradford and Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Manchester City facing lower-tier opposition as the tournament progresses.