LONDON: Watford were knocked out of the League Cup following an embarrassing 3-2 defeat by second-tier side Bristol City at Vicarage Road on Tuesday, the only one of seven Premier League clubs in action to lose.

Etienne Capoue put Watford ahead from Will Hughes’ 47th-minute cross, only for Freddy Hinds to equalise from 30 yards 12 minutes later.

Bobby Reid handed City a shock lead in the 67th minute and Watford were in deeper trouble when Jose Holebas was sent off in the 88th minute for a second bookable offence.

Niclas Eliasson made City’s advantage pay with the killer third in stoppage time before Adrian Mariappa hit an irrelevant reply for Watford.

Bournemouth, Brighton & Hove Albion, Leicester City, Swansea City and West Bromwich Albion all overcame lower-tier opposition, as did Crystal Palace who beat Ipswich Town 2-1 to register their first goals, and first victory, under new manager Frank de Boer.

Bournemouth defeated Birmingham 2-1, Brighton edged Barnet 1-0, Leicester won 4-1 at Sheffield United, West Bromwich Albion ousted Accrington Stanley 3-1 and Swansea beat Milton Keynes Dons 4-1.

Championship side Leeds United beat fourth tier Newport County 5-1 with a hat-trick from Kemar Roofe, who had only scored three times in his previous 53 games for the club.

Other Championship sides, Fulham and Hull City, both lost to lower-tier opposition in Bristol Rovers and Doncaster Rovers respectively.

Top-flight teams — holders Manchester United, along with Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City — involved in European competitions don’t enter until the third round.

The draw is being held on Thursday in the Chinese capital Beijing, as competition organisers seek to attract commercial backing and new fans in Asia.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2017