Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur go head-to-head at Wembley on Sunday, with plenty to live up too…
Wembley will play host to the 2015 Capital One Cup final on Sunday, as Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur go head-to-head in what’s all set to be an enthralling London derby.
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Spurs beat Jose Mourinho’s Blues 5-3 the last time the two sides met in Premier League action, and the countless neutrals watching the game this weekend will no doubt be hoping for a similar scoreline.
Of course, the intriguing clash will have to go some way to live up to the six finals in our list below. Re-live all the drama in the following pages as we count down our most memorable League Cup finals ever!
6) 1967 – Queens Park Rangers 3-2 West Bromwich Albion
This was the first ever League Cup final to be played at Wembley, rather than over two legs, and produced one of the finest comebacks the competition has ever seen. West Brom led 2-0 at half-time after a brace from Colin Clark, and looked set to lift the trophy. However, Rodney Marsh and Roger Morgan drew Rangers level before Mark Lazarus scored a dramatic late winner.
5) 1969 – Swindon Town 3-1 Arsenal
This was one of the competition’s first David vs Goliath clashes, comprising top flight Arsenal against Swindon, from the third tier of English football. Miraculously, the gap between the two sides made little difference on the day, as Roger Smart gave the minnows a shock lead. The Gunners looked to have salvaged things when Bobby Gould levelled late on, but Don Rogers scored twice in extra time to win it for Swindon.
4) 1977 – Aston Villa 3-2 Everton
Aston Villa and Everton needed three games to separate them, back in the days when a cup final draw resulted in a relay. The first match ended 0-0 at Wembley, and the second produced a 1-1 draw at Hillsborough. The final game at Villa Park was also level at 1-1, and looked set to end in a third successive stalemate, before Brian Little popped up in the dying seconds to win it for the hosts.
3) 1988 – Luton Town 3-2 Arsenal
Arsenal were again expected to win, albeit against first division opposition, but were stunned at Wembley by Luton Town. Arsenal were winning 2-1 with eight minutes remaining, before Hatters goalkeeper Andy Dibble produced the games turning point – he saved Nigel Winterburn’s penalty. Danny Wilson levelled the scores mere moments later, before Mark Stein dramatically completed his brace to win it for Luton.
2) 2011 – Birmingham City 2-1 Arsenal
Another game, another shock Arsenal defeat. Arsene Wenger’s side were in the midst of their lengthy trophy drought – ongoing since 2005 – and were desperate to lift a piece of silverware. In the most dramatic of circumstances, they were denied by Birmingham, who would go on to be relegated from the Premier League later that season. Robin van Persie had cancelled out Nikola Zigic’s opener, before Obafemi Martins capitalised on a defensive blunder from the Gunners to win it with almost the final kick of the match.
1) 2012 – Cardiff City 2-2 Liverpool (Liverpool won 3-2 on penalties)
Kenny Dalglish won his first, and only piece of silverware of his second spell as Liverpool manager by defeating Championship side Cardiff at Wembley. Martin Skrtel’s goal initially took the game into extra time, after the Bluebirds had taken the lead through Joe Mason. Dirk Kuyt looked to have won it for the Reds before Ben Turner dramatically bundled the ball home. Steven Gerrard and Charlie Adam both missed in the shoot-out, but Kuyt, Stewart Downing and Glen Johnson made no mistake.