PREMIER LEAGUE pacesetters Arsenal are through to the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup after beating Reading 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium, with a young side selected by manager Arsene Wenger.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain put the Gunners ahead on 33 minutes, after a mistake from Royals keeper Ali Al Habsi. The result was put beyond the Sky Bet Championship side when Oxlade-Chamberlain got another on 78 minutes, via a deflection.
Hull made it into the quarter-finals with a 2-1 win at Bristol City. Harry Maguire headed the Premier League side in front from a corner just before half-time. It was 2-0 only two minutes into the second-half when Michael Dawson nodded in from another Hull corner.
The Championship side netted a late consolation through a fine individual effort from substitute Lee Tomlin before Tammy Abraham saw an effort cleared off the line in the closing moments.
Championship leaders Newcastle romped to a 6-0 win over 10-man Preston at St James' Park. Aleksandar Mitrovic put the Magpies ahead on 19 minutes with a powerful header at the back post.
Preston were reduced to 10 men on 27 minutes when midfielder Alan Browne was shown a red card for an elbow on Newcastle midfielder Jack Colback, who had to go off with a head injury.
Mo Diame made it 2-0 on 38 minutes with his first goal since signing from Hull, with Matt Ritchie adding a third from the penalty spot on 53 minutes. Mitrovic got his second of the night and a fourth for the home side just two minutes later, with Diame also netting a brace following a 25-yard drive with three minutes to go. There was still time for subsitite Ayoze Perez to add a sixth as Rafael Benitez side coasted into the quarter-finals.
Leeds, meanwhile, beat Norwich 3-2 on penalties after the game had finished 2-2 at the end of extra-time. Marco Silvestri was the hero for Leeds, saving three spot-kicks to send the home side through.
