The EFL Cup – currently known as the Carabao Cup – is an early chance for club sides in England to wrap up a major trophy.
It’s the competition that is easily forgotten about once you’ve been dumped out, but if you’re still in the running by the New Year then all eyes begin to focus on a potential Wembley final.
The EFL Cup is open to any of the 92 sides in the English football league and has been running since 1960!
Pep Guardiola’s Man City have dominated this competition in recent years scooping five of the last seven. Will 2021 be the year we see a new name on the trophy?
EFL Cup Winner | |||
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Manchester City FC | |||
Tottenham Hotspur FC |
There are no shortages of markets to bet on for this year’s EFL Cup.
Here are some of the most popular markets to have a bet on in this season’s Carabao Cup:
There are plenty of bookies who will offer betting on the EFL Cup. Here are some of the best:
This year’s EFL Cup final will once again be played at Wembley Stadium, but this year a little later in the schedule.
Originally planned for February 28, 2021, the final will now be on April 25, 2021, to allow for the congested fixture schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur have won the trophy a staggering 16 times between them, but Brentford are looking to become the 24th name on the three-eared cup!
From the Milk Cup to the Carabao Cup via the Coca-Cola and Littlewoods Cup, the EFL Cup has morphed its identity over the years.
Despite this, the competition has always remained competitive and sought after by the biggest and best teams in England.
The first final was won by Aston Villa in 1961, with the format dictating a two-legged final at each sides’ home ground until 1967 where Queens Park Rangers won the first Wembley Stadium final.
The prize would be shared over the years that followed, until Liverpool made it their own in the 1980s.
The Reds won the EFL Cup for four years straight between 1980-84 until Norwich City ended their run in 1985.
Leicester City’s 1997 final win over Middlesbrough was the last that went to a replay – all finals that followed would be decided on the day via extra-time or penalties.
Manchester City are the modern-day kings of the EFL Cup winning five of the last seven contested, with only Chelsea (2015) and Manchester United (2017) stopping them.
Liverpool (8), Manchester City (7), Aston Villa (5), Manchester United (5) and Chelsea (5) lead the way with the most EFL Cup trophies, with Arsenal losing the most finals (6).
Last year’s EFL Cup finished on March 1, 2020, which meant that it wasn’t impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Manchester City won their seventh cup by beating Aston Villa narrowly in the final following goals by Sergio Aguero and Rodri.
Mbwana Samatta scored for Aston Villa towards the end of the first-half, but Guardiola’s men rode out the storm and clung on after some nervy moments in the second-half.
In a repeat of this year’s competition, Manchester City played Manchester United in the semi-finals, beating their rivals 3-2 on aggregate following two legs.
Oxford United were the shock of the competition, unexpectedly reaching the quarter-finals.