All hail Liverpool – Kings of the League Cup
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This weekend sees Liverpool face Manchester City in the League Cup Final with Jurgen Klopp seeking his first piece of silverware as Reds boss, and if history is anything to go by, he’ll be achieving just that.
The Merseysiders are the competition’s most successful club with eight League Cup victories to their name, with nearest challengers Aston Villa and Chelsea far behind on five.
Man City have just three titles in their cabinet, and their victory in the 2014 final their sole achievement in the competition since 1976. Since then Liverpool have reached 11 finals.
So ahead of Sunday’s showpiece at Wembley, we’ve taken a little look back at some of Liverpool’s most famous League Cup final successes…
1982 – Liverpool 3-1 Tottenham (AET)
This was the second in Liverpool’s four-year winning streak while the competition was known as the Milk Cup.
Spurs had lost just three of their last 18 league games coming into this tie, and were in the semi-finals of an FA Cup they would go on to win.
Liverpool were only 12th in the table on Boxing Day, but they would lose just two domestic fixtures in the second half of the campaign, to Spurs’ detriment.
Steve Archibald put the north Londoners ahead early on, and it remained that way until Ronnie Whelan equalised with 87 minutes on the clock, before Whelan again and Ian Rush put Liverpool out of sight in extra-time.
By the way – the day this game was played, Southampton were top of the table and Swansea were second.
1995 – Liverpool 2-1 Bolton
Having seen off Premier League champions-elect Blackburn and Arsenal, few could deny Liverpool a place at Wembley to face Division One Bolton.
The likes of Jamie Redknapp, Robbie Fowler, David James and Steve McManaman formed the crux of this side, which often failed to quite make the leap in the league.
On this day there were no such problems as McManaman solo efforts in each half ousted Alan Thompson’s late strike for Bolton. Macca’s first is particularly superb, while his second isn’t bad either.
2003 – Liverpool 2-0 Manchester United
Beating your fiercest rivals to win a trophy must rank as one of the sweetest feelings in sport.
Steven Gerrard produced one of the all-time greatest cup final goals to put Liverpool ahead in the first-half, before an inspired Jerzy Dudek made sure Ruud van Nistelrooy and co remained frustrated.
Michael Owen wrapped things up with a classic counter-attack to seal Liverpool’s seventh League Cup.
2012 – Cardiff 2-2 Liverpool (Win 3-2 on Penalties)
This one had a tinge of sadness about it, but nonetheless remains Liverpool’s most recent trophy let alone League Cup success.
Joe Mason and Martin Skrtel exchanged goals to force extra-time, where Dirk Kuyt’s effort seemed to hand Liverpool the trophy only for Ben Turner to equalise with moments to spare.
Steven Gerrard and Charlie Adam missed Liverpool’s first two spot-kicks, but Cardiff couldn’t take their chances and it came down to Gerrard’s cousin Anthony to keep the Welsh side in it.
Anthony made sure both family members missed from the spot however and Liverpool made it eight League Cups.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
