City’s eight League Cup victories | OneFootball

We head into Sunday’s Carabao Cup final seeking to add another chapter to our proud history in the competition.

We’ve had a strong affinity with the League Cup ever since its introduction in 1960.

Only Liverpool have won it more times than us, with the class of 2026 seeking to take us to a ninth success in this weekend’s showpiece with Arsenal.

Here we’ll outline the nine trophy triumphs we’ve had in this tournament through the years…

1970

Our first success in this tournament came during a golden period for the Club – two years after the First Division title and 12 months on from FA Cup glory.

Victories over Southport, Liverpool, Everton, QPR and then a two-legged success over Manchester United had booked a final with West Brom.

Though Jeff Astle had given Albion an early lead, Mike Doyle’s strike then brought City level after the break before the game went into extra time.

Men's Team

1976 Revisited

And on 102 minutes, Pardoe proved the man for the big occasion.

Francis Lee chipped a ball to Colin Bell in the box and his back heel fell perfectly for Glyn Pardoe.

He looked up, shot and squeezed a drive past the Baggies keeper from the corner of the box to send the City fans wild and secure the Cup.

1976

Our next League Cup triumph celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

We needed three attempts to beat Norwich in the second round but it was smoother sailing then with defeats of Nottingham Forest, Manchester United, Mansfield Town and Middlesbrough.

Newcastle stood in our way at Wembley, where 100,000 fans were packed in for a special occasion.

It was a day of milestones.

Peter Barnes, just 18-years-old, became the youngest player to score in a Wembley final on 11 minutes, but Alan Gowling’s 35th-minute equaliser saw the teams go in level at the break.

Within a minute of the re-start, however, City were back in front with a goal that has subsequently been voted the competition’s greatest-ever.

Willie Donachie crossed the ball into the box, Tommy Booth nodded it back across goal and Dennis Tueart, with his back to goal, acrobatically scored with a bicycle kick to send the City end wild with delight.

It was goal worthy of winning any game and it indeed turned out to be the strike that ensured the Blues won the League Cup for the second time in our history.

In the process, Tony Book became the first man to win the competition as both a player and a manager.

That proved to be our last trophy until 2011 in what was a significant moment for everyone at Maine Road.

2014

Although City were now winners again in the Premier League and FA Cup, a 38-year wait for the League Cup was ended in March 2022.

A stunning Yaya Toure strike, plus further goals from Samir Nasri and Jesus Navas, ensured City ran out 3-1 winners at Wembley against Sunderland.

The Black Cats had taken an early lead when Fabio Borini finished from a tight angle but Manuel Pellegrini’s men turned the game on its head before the hour.

Yaya began the turnaround when he launched an unstoppable long-range drive past Sunderland stopper Vito Mannone, before Nasri lashed home a second just two minutes later.

Navas then completed a swift counter with a near-post finish to secure our first trophy of what would be a double-winning season.

2016

Goalkeeper Willy Caballero was the penalty shootout hero against Liverpool to seal a fourth League Cup triumph.

Fernandinho gave Manuel Pellegrini’s side the lead just after half-time at Wembley – and we were on course to record a narrow victory – before Philippe Coutinho equalised for the Reds seven minutes from time.

Men's Team

Bernardo, Fernandinho and Ederson on the importance of 2018 Carabao Cup success

The sides then couldn’t be separated after 30 minutes of extra-time forcing a nerve-wracking penalty shootout.

And when our Brazilian midfielder missed our opening penalty, Liverpool were handed an early advantage.

But the brilliance of Caballero prevailed - saving Liverpool’s second, third and fourth spot-kick as City triumphed 3-1 in the shoot-out and lifted what was, then, our fourth League Cup.

2018

Three League Cups in five years and the first silverware in what would become a historic Pep Guardiola reign.

And it was a special performance from Guardiola’s side, who played the game almost entirely in the Catalan’s image.

For all of City’s delightful one-touch football from the back, it was a long ball forward that caught the Gunners rearguard out as Bravo launched a long punt upfield for Aguero to run on to.

His deft lob over David Ospina gave us the lead with 18 minutes played.

We made it two just before the hour when captain Vincent Kompany turned home Ilkay Gundogan’s low drive from close range.

The game was then put out of sight by David Silva, slotting a low shot into the corner.

It only followed the pattern of City’s performances through the season, with a record 100-point haul to come in the Premier League.

2019

A fourth League Cup in six years, back-to-back successes and the second piece of silverware in another golden year for the Club.

After 120 minutes of goalless but enthralling action, the lottery of the shoot-out was required to determine who would lift the trophy.

With Ilkay Gundogan, Sergio Aguero and Bernardo Silva successful from the spot, Raheem Sterling smashed the winning penalty into the top corner, after Jorginho’s effort had been saved by Ederson and David Luiz hit the post.

Celebrating another piece of silverware in the Pep Guardiola era, the City fans were ecstatic.

The victory also marked an historic weekend for the Club with our women’s team having secured our third Continental Cup - amazingly with victory over Arsenal on penalties the previous day.

2020

Goals from Sergio Aguero and Rodri secured a third consecutive Carabao Cup final triumph for City as we overcame Aston Villa 2-1 in a pulsating contest at Wembley.

Aguero and Rodri both struck in the opening half hour with City in dominant form.

But Mbwanna Samatta’s late first-half effort gave the Villans a shot in the arm and made for a compelling second half.

And it needed a stunning late save from Claudio Bravo, who pushed Bjorn Engels 88th minute header onto a post to maintain our lead.

However City, with Phil Foden producing a dazzling display, deservedly saw the job through to seal a hat-trick of League Cup wins following our triumphs in 2018 and 2019.

2021

This eighth victory equalled the record at the time and also ensured four successive years of League Cup trophies.

Aymeric Laporte was City’s hero, heading home from Kevin De Bruyne’s free-kick in the 82nd minute to give Pep Guardiola’s side a thoroughly deserved victory, which saw us move level with Liverpool as the most successful side in the competition’s history.

With 8,000 supporters in attendance – the most at any game in England since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic – Guardiola’s men rose to the occasion at Wembley Stadium, where the win was made all the sweeter by the sight of 2,000 City fans celebrating at full-time.

Whilst City had to wait to break the deadlock, on the balance of play the result was never in doubt and the most surprising aspect of the contest was that the defending champions had to wait until the final 10 minutes for a goal.

Again, it pointed to a successful spring, with the Pep Guardiola’s third Premier League title and City’s maiden Champions League final appearance still to come.