With the top teams from the English Premier League all entering the English League Cup this week, has the prestige of the competition now completely lost appeal to the biggest teams, or does it provide a natural springboard for greater success?
In the last decade, the League Cup has changed from being a symbol of success to a demonstration of demotion for a football club. But has it changed back again?
In 2010, Manchester United’s victory over Aston Villa was the English football giant’s port in a storm, a trophy amid a smaller period of profligacy than that which they are currently mired in. When they won in 2017, Jose Mourinho talked about the tournament with muted respect, seeing it as a stepping stone to success on more of a tangible scale.
Aside from the two smaller clubs’ successes, courtesy of Birmingham in 2011 and Swansea in 2013, only the Manchester clubs, Chelsea and record holders Liverpool have lifted the trophy in that time. North London’s finest – either Arsenal or Tottenham depending on your persuasion – have both failed to win, gracing only three finals between them in that time.
| Year | Winners | Final score | Runners up |
| 2010 | Manchester United | 2–1 | Aston Villa |
| 2011 | Birmingham City | 2–1 | Arsenal |
| 2012 | Liverpool | 2–2 (3-2 on pens) | Cardiff City |
| 2013 | Swansea City | 5–0 | Bradford City |
| 2014 | Manchester City | 3–1 | Sunderland |
| 2015 | Chelsea | 2–0 | Tottenham Hotspur |
| 2016 | Manchester City | 1–1 (3-1 on pens) | Liverpool |
| 2017 | Manchester United | 3–2 | Southampton |
| 2018 | Manchester City | 3–0 | Arsenal |
| 2019 | Manchester City | 0–0 (4-3 on pens) | Chelsea |
In terms of history, it is Liverpool who hold the bragging rights to being the best in the competition, thanks to their pre-2010 success rather than their recent success, which only includes their win on penalties against Cardiff City in 2012.
| Club | League Cup wins | Most recent win |
| Liverpool | 8 | 2012 |
| Manchester City | 6 | 2019 |
| Manchester United | 5 | 2017 |
| Aston Villa | 5 | 1996 |
| Chelsea | 5 | 2015 |
Which club could do with winning the trophy next? Probably the one big club who has already departed, trophy-shy Tottenham Hotspur. With Spurs crashing out to Colchester on penalties in the 3rd round of the competition, it may well be left to the usual suspects to fight for the trophy.
For Manchester United or Chelsea, the tournament represents vital success on the road to building back to their former glory. It would be seen as a pillar of foundation for either Solskjaer or Lampard should they lead their team to glory.
For Liverpool or Manchester City, however, it is likely to be a consolation prize, fought for out of pride rather than desperation as the path to Premier League and Champions League success becomes less clear in the Spring.
Looking outside that group of four teams? It’s like a draw away to the Champions for a non-league club at this stage; you’d love to see it, but it’s likely to end badly.
