32 teams have come through the group stages, with a trip to Wembley just four games away for two of them, and having topped Group B, U’s begin the knockout phase with a home tie against Stevenage, who were runners up on goal difference to Cambridge United in Group H, despite beating Cambridge in the group meeting. They also beat Oxford, but lost to Tottenham’s Under 21 side.

This will be the second meeting between the sides this season, the first back in September providing U’s with a first EFL win as Richie Bennett scored twice after Eliiott List had given Stevenage the lead. In eleven league games since then Stevenage have won twice, with the Papa John’s victories providing relief, but that run saw Alex Revell leave the manager’s job recently and Tuesday’s game will be former Exeter, MK Dons and Bristol Rovers manager Paul Tisdale’s first game as Stevenage boss and doubtless the Stevenage players will be out to create a good impression.

Stevenage ended up having a blank Saturday after their game at Tranmere was postponed due to storm damage at Prenton Park, while U’s moved up to 6th place in League Two with a single goal win over Barrow.

If the scores are level after 90 minutes the game will be decided on penalties, and the substitution rules have changed for the knockout stages so that sides can make five substitutions from seven named, with three opportunities to make those changes, not including half time. 

The winners will go in to a regionalised, though otherwise open, draw for the last sixteen, the last regionalised stage.

Referee is Sam Purkiss, who has refereed U’s on a number of occasions before in the National League and is in his third season as an EFL official.

Tickets are still available on line here for Sutton supporters, priced £12 for adults, £6 for concessions, £3 for Under 16s and free for Under 11s with an accompanying adult. Stand tickets are £14, £8 and £5 respectively. You can also buy on the evening from the ticket office. Stevenage supporters can buy on line here. A reminder that as this is a cup tie season tickets are not valid and everyone must have a match ticket to enter.

As it’s a Papa John’s Trophy game it will be live streamed, and passes can be bought for £10 here.