Follow live coverage as Brentford face Aston Villa in the EFL Cup.
Newcastle are the reigning champions of the competition following a stunning win over Liverpool at Wembley last term, with Alexander Isak proving decisive to end the club's 70-year domestic trophy drought.
While all 72 clubs from the football league enter from the first round, Premier League teams enter at the second or third round stage, the latter for clubs competing in Europe this season.
The final is slated for 22 March 2026 this term, at Wembley as usual, marking the first chance for teams to earn both a trophy and a place in next season’s Uefa competitions. Follow updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Brentford FC 1 - 1 Aston Villa FC
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:55Second Half ends, Brentford 1, Aston Villa 1.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:55Handball by Nathan Collins (Brentford).
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:55Attempt saved. Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner by Hákon Valdimarsson (Brentford). Assisted by Boubacar Kamara.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:53Foul by John McGinn (Aston Villa).
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:52Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:50John McGinn (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:49Offside, Brentford. Michael Kayode is caught offside.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:47Attempt missed. Mikkel Damsgaard (Brentford) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Nathan Collins.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:49Attempt blocked. Fábio Carvalho (Brentford) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Mikkel Damsgaard.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:46Attempt saved. Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Hákon Valdimarsson (Brentford). Assisted by Pau Torres.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:45Offside, Brentford. Reiss Nelson is caught offside.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:45Foul by Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba (Aston Villa).
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:44Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Hákon Valdimarsson.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:44Attempt saved. Matty Cash (Aston Villa) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom left corner by Hákon Valdimarsson (Brentford). Assisted by John McGinn with a cross.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:44Attempt missed. Ian Maatsen (Aston Villa) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right following a corner.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:43Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Michael Kayode.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:42Substitution, Aston Villa. Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba replaces Evann Guessand.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:40Offside, Brentford. Fábio Carvalho is caught offside.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:40Substitution, Brentford. Michael Kayode replaces Aaron Hickey.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:40Substitution, Brentford. Mikkel Damsgaard replaces Dango Ouattara.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:36Substitution, Aston Villa. Boubacar Kamara replaces Lamare Bogarde.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:36Substitution, Aston Villa. Emiliano Buendía replaces Jadon Sancho.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:36Offside, Brentford. Rico Henry is caught offside.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:36Foul by Lamare Bogarde (Aston Villa).
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:35Attempt missed. Nathan Collins (Brentford) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Yehor Yarmoliuk with a cross.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:34Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:32Delay in match because of an injury Dango Ouattara (Brentford).
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:32Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Ian Maatsen.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:31Offside, Brentford. Dango Ouattara is caught offside.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:31Attempt missed. Dango Ouattara (Brentford) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Fábio Carvalho with a cross following a set piece situation.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:29Lamare Bogarde (Aston Villa) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:29Foul by Lamare Bogarde (Aston Villa).
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:28Substitution, Brentford. Reiss Nelson replaces Antoni Milambo.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:28Substitution, Aston Villa. Ollie Watkins replaces Harvey Elliott.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:28Substitution, Aston Villa. Morgan Rogers replaces Donyell Malen.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:27Attempt missed. Donyell Malen (Aston Villa) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Jadon Sancho.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:34Attempt saved. Benjamin Arthur (Brentford) header from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the top right corner by Marco Bizot (Aston Villa). Assisted by Frank Onyeka.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:25Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Matty Cash.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:25Dangerous play by Pau Torres (Aston Villa).
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:25Attempt blocked. Pau Torres (Aston Villa) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jadon Sancho.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:23Ian Maatsen (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:23Foul by Dango Ouattara (Brentford).
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:19Goal! Brentford 1, Aston Villa 1. Aaron Hickey (Brentford) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:16Foul by Ian Maatsen (Aston Villa).
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:15Attempt blocked. Dango Ouattara (Brentford) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Antoni Milambo.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:14Substitution, Brentford. Nathan Collins replaces Kristoffer Ajer because of an injury.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:12Jadon Sancho (Aston Villa) hits the left post with a left footed shot from the left side of the box.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:12Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:12Delay in match because of an injury Kristoffer Ajer (Brentford).
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:06Second Half begins Brentford 0, Aston Villa 1.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
21:06Substitution, Brentford. Yehor Yarmoliuk replaces Vitaly Janelt.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:50First Half ends, Brentford 0, Aston Villa 1.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:48Attempt missed. Matty Cash (Aston Villa) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:48Evann Guessand (Aston Villa) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:46Lamare Bogarde (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:46Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:44Goal! Brentford 0, Aston Villa 1. Harvey Elliott (Aston Villa) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by John McGinn.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:44Foul by Donyell Malen (Aston Villa).
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:41Offside, Brentford. Fábio Carvalho is caught offside.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:41Attempt blocked. Dango Ouattara (Brentford) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Kristoffer Ajer.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:39Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:36Delay in match because of an injury Hákon Valdimarsson (Brentford).
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:36Attempt saved. Ian Maatsen (Aston Villa) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner by Hákon Valdimarsson (Brentford). Assisted by John McGinn.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:34Offside, Brentford. Fábio Carvalho is caught offside.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:33Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Aaron Hickey.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:33Donyell Malen (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:30Offside, Brentford. Dango Ouattara is caught offside.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:30Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:28Attempt missed. Kristoffer Ajer (Brentford) header from the left side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Fábio Carvalho following a set piece situation.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:28Antoni Milambo (Brentford) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:26Evann Guessand (Aston Villa) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:26Foul by Evann Guessand (Aston Villa).
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:24Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Marco Bizot.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:24Attempt saved. Sepp van den Berg (Brentford) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal by Marco Bizot (Aston Villa). Assisted by Vitaly Janelt with a cross.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:22Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Pau Torres.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:22Attempt missed. Rico Henry (Brentford) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Dango Ouattara with a cross.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:17Ian Maatsen (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:15Lamare Bogarde (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:14Harvey Elliott (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:12Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:09Delay in match because of an injury Antoni Milambo (Brentford).
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:09Foul by Ian Maatsen (Aston Villa).
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:06Attempt missed. Pau Torres (Aston Villa) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Harvey Elliott with a cross following a set piece situation.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:06Donyell Malen (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:02Attempt saved. Harvey Elliott (Aston Villa) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Hákon Valdimarsson (Brentford).
Brentford vs Aston Villa
20:01First Half begins.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
19:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
18:00Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
We will have all the latest scores, goals and updates plus analysis and reaction throughout the game here. This season we're bringing you live coverage from every match in the Premier League, WSL, Championship, Carabao Cup and FA Cup from the third round onwards - as well as the best from the Champions League and beyond in Europe.
