2000–01 Football League Cup

The 2000–01 Football League Cup (known as the Worthington Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 41st staging of the Football League Cup, a knockout competition for England's top 92 football clubs.

2000–01 Football League Cup
Worthington Cup, League Cup
Country England
 Wales
Teams92
Defending championsLeicester City
ChampionsLiverpool (6th title)
Runners-upBirmingham City
Top goal scorer(s)Robbie Fowler
(6 goals)

The competition began on 22 August 2000, and ended with the final on 25 February 2001 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff as Wembley Stadium had been closed for a rebuild.

The tournament was won by Liverpool, who beat Birmingham City 5–4 on penalties after a 1–1 draw after extra-time. Robbie Fowler put Liverpool in front after half an hour but a Darren Purse penalty salvaged the game for Birmingham in the final minute of normal time.

First round

The 70 First, Second and Third Division clubs compete from the First Round. Each section is divided equally into a pot of seeded clubs and a pot of unseeded clubs. Clubs' rankings depend upon their finishing position in the 1999–2000 season. Therefore, the clubs relegated from the Premier League in 2000, Wimbledon, Watford and Sheffield Wednesday, were the top seeds, and the club newly promoted to the Third Division, Kidderminster Harriers, were bottom seeds. The first legs took place on 22 and 23 August and the second legs on 5 and 6 September.

Tie no Home team (1st Leg)
(2nd Leg)
Aggregate		 Away team
1Crystal Palace(2–1)
(0–0)
2–1		Cardiff City
2Colchester United(0–1)
(4–1)
4–2		Q.P.R.
3Plymouth Argyle(1–2)
(1–1)
2–3		Bristol Rovers
4Barnet(2–1)
(1–3)
3–4		Wycombe Wanderers
5Bolton Wanderers(1–0)
(1–3)
2–3		Macclesfield Town
6Brighton(1–2)
(1–1)
2–3		Millwall
7Bristol City(2–2)
(1–2)
3–4		Brentford
8Burnley(4–1)
(2–3)
6–4		Hartlepool United
9Cambridge United(0–0)
(0–1)
0–1		Portsmouth
10Crewe Alexandra(2–2)
(2–1)
4–3		Bury
11Darlington(2–2)
(2–1)
4–3		Nottingham Forest
12Gillingham(2–0)
(2–3)
4–3		Torquay United
13Grimsby Town(2–0)
(1–1)
3–1		Carlisle United
14Hull City(1–0)
(0–2)
1–2		Notts County
15Leyton Orient(1–1)
(2–0)
3–1		Reading
16Luton Town(0–0)
(2–2)
2–2		Peterborough United
Luton Town win on away goals
17Mansfield Town(0–1)
(3–0)
3–1		Wrexham
18Northampton Town(1–0)
(1–4)
2–4		Fulham
19Norwich City(0–0)
(2–1)
2–1		A.F.C. Bournemouth
20Oldham Athletic(1–0)
(2–0)
3–0		Huddersfield Town
21Port Vale(1–2)
(2–2)
3–4		Chesterfield
22Rochdale(1–1)
(1–6)
2–7		Blackburn Rovers
23Rotherham United(0–1)
(2–3)
2–4		Barnsley
24Sheffield United(6–1)
(0–1)
6–2		Lincoln City
25Shrewsbury Town(1–0)
(1–4)
2–4		Preston North End
26Southend United(0–5)
(0–0)
0–5		Birmingham City
27Stockport County(0–1)
(2–3)
2–4		Blackpool
28Swansea City'(0–0)
(1–2)
1–2		West Bromwich Albion
29Swindon Town(1–1)
(2–1)
3–2		Exeter City
30Tranmere Rovers(3–0)
(2–1)
5–1		Halifax Town
31Walsall(1–1)
(1–0)
2–1		Kidderminster Harriers
32Watford(0–0)
(3–0)
3–0		Cheltenham Town
33Wigan Athletic(1–0)
(4–1)
5–1		Scunthorpe United
34Wolverhampton Wanderers(0–1)
(3–1)
3–2		Oxford United
35York City(1–5)
(0–0)
1–5		Stoke City

Second round

The 35 winners from the First Round joined the Premier League clubs not participating in European competition. The ties were played over two legs, with the first legs from 19 to 20 September and the second legs on 26 and 27 September. Two second leg matches were played on 2 October.

Tie no Home team (1st Leg)
(2nd Leg)
Aggregate		 Away team
1Grimsby Town(3–2)
(0–2)
3–4		Wolverhampton Wanderers
2Everton(1–1)
(1–1)
2–2		Bristol Rovers
After extra time – Bristol Rovers win 4 – 2 on penalties
3Manchester City(1–1)
(4–2)
5–3		Gillingham
4Newcastle United(2–0)
(1–1)
3–1		Leyton Orient
5Southampton(2–1)
(3–1)
5–2		Mansfield Town
6Stoke City(2–1)
(3–4)
5–5		Charlton Athletic
Stoke City win on away goals
7Barnsley(4–0)
(3–0)
7–0		Crewe Alexandra
8Blackburn Rovers(4–0)
(1–1)
5–1		Portsmouth
9Brentford(0–0)
(0–2)
0–2		Tottenham Hotspur
10Burnley(2–2)
(1–1)
3–3		Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace win on away goals
11Chesterfield(1–0)
(0–4)
1–4		Fulham
12Darlington(0–1)
(2–7)
2–8		Bradford City
13Derby County(1–2)
(4–2)
5–4		West Bromwich Albion
14Wimbledon(0–0)
(2–1)
2–1		Wigan Athletic
15Middlesbrough(2–1)
(3–1)
5–2		Macclesfield Town
16Millwall(2–0)
(0–5)
2–5		Ipswich Town
17Norwich City(3–3)
(5–0)
8–3		Blackpool
18Notts County(1–3)
(2–0)
3–3		Watford
Watford win on away goals
19Oldham Athletic(1–3)
(1–5)
2–8		Sheffield Wednesday
20Preston North End(1–3)
(1–4)
2–7		Coventry City
21Sheffield United(3–0)
(1–0)
4–0		Colchester United
22Sunderland(3–0)
(2–1)
5–1		Luton Town
23Tranmere Rovers(1–1)
(1–0)
2–1		Swindon Town
24Walsall(0–1)
(1–1)
1–2		West Ham United
25Wycombe Wanderers(3–4)
(0–1)
3–5		Birmingham City

Third round

The 25 winners from the Second Round joined the Premier League clubs participating in European competition in Round Three. Matches were played on 31 October and 1 November.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1Arsenal1–2Ipswich Town1 November 2000
2Aston Villa0–1Manchester City1 November 2000
3Derby County3–0Norwich City1 November 2000
4Fulham3–2Wolverhampton Wanderers1 November 2000
5Leicester City0–3Crystal Palace1 November 2000
6Liverpool1–1Chelsea1 November 2000
Liverpool win 2–1 after extra time
7Newcastle United4–3Bradford City1 November 2000
8Sheffield Wednesday1–1Sheffield United1 November 2000
Sheffield Wednesday win 2–1 after extra time
9Southampton0–1Coventry City1 November 2000
10Stoke City3–2Barnsley1 November 2000
11Bristol Rovers1–2Sunderland31 October 2000
12Wimbledon1–0Middlesbrough31 October 2000
13Tottenham Hotspur1–3Birmingham City31 October 2000
14Tranmere Rovers3–2Leeds United31 October 2000
15Watford0–3Manchester United31 October 2000
16West Ham United2–0Blackburn Rovers31 October 2000

Fourth round

The eight matches were played on 28 and 29 November.

Birmingham City2–1Newcastle United
Adebola  31'
Johnson  90'		 Dyer  14'
St Andrew's, Birmingham
Attendance: 18,520
Referee: Steve Bennett
Fulham3–2Derby County
Saha  28', 90'
Lewis  39'		 Christie  13'
Powell  45'
Attendance: 11,761
Referee: Peter Jones
Manchester City2–1Wimbledon
Wanchope  26'
Goater  81'		 Roberts  11'
Maine Road, Manchester
Attendance: 19,513
Referee: Bill Jordan
Stoke City0–8Liverpool
Ziege  6'
Šmicer  26'
Babbel  28'
Fowler  26', 82', 85' (pen.)
Hyypiä  59'
Murphy  65'
Attendance: 27,109
Referee: Andy D'Urso
West Ham United1–2Sheffield Wednesday
Lampard  72' Morrison  30'
Westwood  49'
Attendance: 20,853
Referee: Paul Danson
Crystal Palace0 – 0 (a.e.t.)
6 – 5p		Tranmere Rovers
Attendance: 10,271
Referee: David Laws
Ipswich Town2–1Coventry City
Bramble  5'
Johnson  65'		 Bellamy  54' (pen.)
Portman Road, Ipswich
Attendance: 19,563
Referee: Paul Durkin
Sunderland2 – 1 (a.e.t.)Manchester United
Arca  75'
Phillips  101' (pen.)		 Yorke  31'
Stadium of Light, Sunderland
Attendance: 47,543
Referee: Mark Halsey

Fifth round

The four matches were played on 12, 13 and 19 December.

Crystal Palace2–1Sunderland
Forssell  48'
Morrison  82'		 Rae  49'
Attendance: 15,945
Referee: Alan Wiley
Manchester City1 – 2 (a.e.t.)Ipswich Town
Goater  10' Holland  60'
Venus  109'
Maine Road, Manchester
Attendance: 31,252
Referee: Graham Poll
Liverpool3 – 0 (a.e.t.)Fulham
Owen  105'
Šmicer  114'
Barmby  120'
Anfield, Liverpool
Attendance: 20,144
Birmingham City2–0Sheffield Wednesday
Sonner  28'
Adebola  57'
St Andrew's, Birmingham
Attendance: 22,911
Referee: Jeff Winter

Semi-finals

The semi-final draw was made in December 2000 after the conclusion of the quarter finals. Unlike the other rounds, the semi-final ties were played over two legs, with each team playing one leg at home. The first legs were played on 9 and 10 January and the second legs on 24 and 31 January 2001.

First leg
Ipswich Town1–0Birmingham City
Stewart  45' (p)
Portman Road, Ipswich
Attendance: 21,684
Referee: Chris Wilkes
Crystal Palace2–1Liverpool
Rubins  56'
Morrison  77'		 Report Šmicer  78'
Attendance: 25,933
Referee: Uriah Rennie

Second leg
Liverpool5–0Crystal Palace
Šmicer  13'
Murphy  15', 51'
Bišćan  18'
Fowler  89'		 Report
Anfield, Liverpool
Attendance: 41,854
Referee: Paul Durkin

Liverpool win 6–2 on aggregate.

Birmingham City4 – 1
(a.e.t.)		Ipswich Town
Horsfield  43', 55'
Grainger  103'
A. Johnson  116'		 Scowcroft  56'
St Andrew's, Birmingham
Attendance: 28,624
Referee: Jeff Winter

Birmingham City win 4–2 on aggregate

Final
Further information: 2001 Football League Cup Final

The 2001 Worthington Cup Final was played on 25 February 2001 and was contested between First Division side Birmingham City and Premier League team Liverpool at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. Liverpool won the game 5–4 on penalties following a 1–1 draw after extra time.

Birmingham City1–1Liverpool
Purse  90' (pen.) Report Fowler  30'
Attendance: 73,500
Referee: David Elleray

Liverpool win 5–4 penalties

References
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