Ahead of Sunday’s Carabao Cup final between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley, we’re looking back at some unforgettable moments in League Cup history.
Third-tier QPR causes a surprise (1967)
The League Cup final took place at Wembley for the first time in 1967, marking a significant moment in football history.
Queens Park Rangers, a third-tier team, managed to win the trophy, becoming the first such team to secure a major English title. They fell behind 2-0 in the final due to Clive Clark’s two goals for West Brom, but made a remarkable comeback.
Roger Morgan scored to bring QPR back into contention, followed by Rodney Marsh leveling the score. Mike Lazarus completed the turnaround, making QPR the surprising winners. Just two years later, Swindon Town repeated the upset by defeating Arsenal 3-1.
Luton stuns Arsenal (1988)
The 1987/88 season was full of surprises. Wimbledon’s ‘Crazy Gang’ famously defeated Liverpool in the FA Cup final, and Luton Town added their own twist by upsetting Arsenal.
The Hatters took an early lead through Brian Stein, but Arsenal responded well in the second half, with Martin Hayes and Alan Smith scoring to put them ahead.
Arsenal had a chance to secure victory when Nigel Winterburn missed a penalty, and Luton quickly equalized through Danny Wilson. Stein then scored again to clinch the cup in a dramatic finale.
Mourinho provokes Liverpool fans in Cardiff (2005)
Jose Mourinho made a bold entrance into English football, enjoying the rivalry with Liverpool. In 2005, an exciting final began with Liverpool scoring through John Arne Riise within a minute, setting them up as favorites against Chelsea.
The moment that changed the match came when Steven Gerrard accidentally headed a free-kick into his own net, bringing the score to 1-1. Mourinho capitalized on the situation, provocatively gesturing to Liverpool fans as Chelsea won 3-2 after extra time, marking his first trophy in England.
Arsenal suffers another final defeat (2011)
Arsenal has faced several disappointments in League Cup finals, losing a record six times. In 2011, they faced a struggling Birmingham City team, who were on their way to relegation.
Robin van Persie equalized after Nikola Zigic opened the scoring for Birmingham. As extra time seemed likely, a costly mistake between Wojciech Szczęsny and Laurent Koscielny led to a last-minute goal from Obafemi Martins, giving Birmingham an unexpected victory.
Yaya Toure’s remarkable goal
Yaya Toure scored one of the most memorable goals in League Cup history against Sunderland, showcasing why every player dreams of scoring in a final.
Kepa refuses to leave the pitch
Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga created a memorable moment not through skill, but by refusing to be substituted during a final against Manchester City. Despite struggling with an injury, Kepa insisted on staying on the field, causing a stir with manager Maurizio Sarri.
After a tense exchange, Kepa remained and the team lost on penalties, adding drama to the match.
Van Dijk’s penalty success against Kepa
Kepa Arrizabalaga was in the spotlight again in a later final against Liverpool, where he was brought in as a penalty specialist. However, things did not go as planned; Kepa failed to save any penalty, including one taken by Virgil van Dijk, leading to Liverpool winning 11-10 in an extended shootout.
The only Chelsea player to miss was Kepa himself.
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