It’s a third set of League One opposition in this season’s competition for Sutton, who beat Cambridge United on penalties after a 2-2 draw at the VBS Community Stadium in the first round, then won 1-0 at Wycombe to reach this stage. Port Vale beat Fleetwood in the first round 3-2, then won a penalty shoot out at home to Crewe in the second round after a goalless draw.

Port Vale’s season has been the opposite of Sutton’s, with U’s having enjoyed a convincing win over Notts County before failing to win any of the subsequent eight games, while Port Vale were hammered 7-0 at Barnsley on the opening day of the season and then took sixteen out of the next eighteen available points, not beaten again until last week’s 3-2 defeat at home to Burton Albion. Saturday’s draw at Cambridge, when Ben Garrity scored for the fourth game in a row, left Vale in 4th place in the League One table, two points behind leaders Portsmouth.

Familiar names in this season’s Port Vale squad include defender and long throw specialist Dan Jones, who U’s have met on several occasions with Barrow, and summer signings Ethan Chislett from AFC Wimbledon and Jason Lowe from Salford, the latter having made nearly 200 appearances for Blackburn including over thirty in the Premier League.

For U’s, Rob Milsom missed Saturday’s game against MK Dons through injury, while D’Mani Mellor is cup tied having played for Wycombe in the first round. Both Dion Pereira and Dean Bouzanis, signed on loan since the win at Wycombe, are eligible.

The sides met in League Two two seasons ago, with Sutton memorably winning 4-3 at the VBS but losing 2-0 in the return at Vale Park, with Port Vale going on to win promotion through the play-offs at the end of the season. 

If the scores are level after ninety minutes on Tuesday the game will be decided on penalties.

Tuesday’s referee is Will Finnie, in his fifth EFL season. He last refereed a Sutton game when he took charge of the New Year’s Day game at home to AFC Wimbledon.

No physical tickets will be on sale on the night, however it will be possible to buy on line through the Port Vale ticket shop from 9am on Tuesday, either by scanning the QR code available outside the Bycars Away Stand, which is where any uncollected tickets can be collected, or by visiting this link. You will need to create an account, and make sure you have chosen away supporters’ tickets, so we would advise booking early in the day to avoid complications. Prices are £15 for adults aged 22-61, and £7 for under 22s and over 61s. 

If you can’t get to the game we will have an audio commentary on our iFollow service. A match pass is £2.50, while there are also great value monthly passes at £4.49 and season passes at £45. Please note that in the Carabao Cup games are not live streamed at home or overseas, and so only an audio commentary will be available wherever in the world you are listening.

The supporters’ coach will leave at 12.30pm.

Official away supporters’ parking is available for £8 at the Dimensions Leisure Centre (ST6 4ET), about five minutes’ walk from the ground. This must be booked on line using this link. It opens three hours before kick off and closes one hour after the final whistle. The cost is £8. To get there, leave the M6 at junction 15 and take the A500 north to Stoke-on-Trent. Continue on this road until you come to the exit marked Tunstall A5271. Take the fourth exit, and after about half a mile take the second exit at a roundabout in to Davenport Road. Turn right in to Westport Road, then left in to Federation Road, and at the end turn left in to Scotia Road and the car park is a little way along. 

By Rail: It won’t be a surprise to learn that it’s not possible to get back to London by train after the game, but if you want to travel up by train catch the 13 minutes past the hour off Euston to Stoke. After the 14.13, fares go up dramatically. From Stoke station either then get a bus to Burslem Town Centre or a train to Longport, which is a 25 minute walk from the ground, going up Station Street in to Newcastle Street, then carrying on to the town centre, continuing across the main crossroads with the A50 in to Moorland Road, then turning left in to Hamil Road.