2021 EFL Cup Final

The 2021 EFL Cup Final will be the final of the 2020–21 EFL Cup. It will be played at Wembley Stadium in London, England, on 25 April 2021, between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City,[1] having been originally scheduled to take place on 28 February 2021.[2] The EFL's desire for a greater number of fans to be able to attend the match is the primary reason for the date change.[3]

2021 EFL Cup Final
Event2020–21 EFL Cup
Tottenham Hotspur Manchester City
Date25 April 2021 (2021-04-25)
VenueWembley Stadium, London

The match will be the ninth Football League/EFL Cup final to be played by Tottenham, of which four were ended in victory. The four wins include the club's most recent trophy, claimed in 2008. Their head coach José Mourinho became the third coach/manager – after Ron Saunders and Ron Atkinson – to reach the League Cup final with three different clubs; having done so with Chelsea three times and once with Manchester United.[4] From the three coaches, only Saunders won the final with just one club. Should Tottenham win, Mourinho will become the first coach to win the cup five times, as well as the first with three distinctive clubs; Atkinson never won one with United.

For Manchester City, this will be their ninth Football League/EFL Cup final, of which seven have ended in victory, including the last three finals (2018, 2019, and 2020). Appearing in their fourth consecutive EFL Cup final, City became only the second team to do so, after Liverpool between 1981 and 1984. Should City win, they will equal Liverpool's records of eight EFL Cup wins and four consecutive wins. City's manager Pep Guardiola would also become the first coach to win the cup in four consecutive years, as Liverpool was coached by Bob Paisley when they won the first three aforementioned; Joe Fagan won the fourth.

Route to the final
Main article: 2020–21 EFL Cup

Tottenham Hotspur
Round Opposition Score
3 Leyton Orient (A) Walkover (3–0)[note 1]
4 Chelsea (H) 1–1 (5–4 p.)
QF Stoke City (A) 3–1
SF Brentford (H) 2–0
Key: (H) = Home; (A) = Away

Tottenham, as a Premier League team involved in the 2020–21 UEFA Europa League, was originally scheduled to start playing in the third round on 22 September 2020. However the match, away to Leyton Orient, was postponed after multiple Orient players tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.[5] On 25 September, it was confirmed that Tottenham had received a bye into the fourth round, due to Orient's inability to fulfill the fixture.[6]

In the fourth round, Tottenham beat London rivals Chelsea 5–4 on penalties, after the 90 minutes of play ended 1–1.[7]

Tottenham visited Stoke City in the quarter-finals, they went home with a 3–1 victory.[8]

In the semi-finals, Tottenham met the only non-Premier League side still playing up to this stage, Brentford of the Championship. Tottenham reached the final with a 2–0 victory.[4]

Manchester City
Round Opposition Score
3 Bournemouth (H) 2–1
4 Burnley (A) 3–0
QF Arsenal (A) 4–1
SF Manchester United (A) 2–0
Key: (H) = Home; (A) = Away

Manchester City, as a Premier League club involved in the 2020–21 UEFA Champions League, started the competition in the third round. They beat Bournemouth 2–1 on what would their only home match in the tournament.[9]

In the fourth round they defeated Burnley 3–0.[10]

In the quarter-finals they defeated Arsenal 4–1.[11]

In the semi-finals they defeated local rivals Manchester United 2–0.[12]

Match

Details
Tottenham HotspurvManchester City

Match rules[13]

  • 90 minutes
  • 30 minutes of extra time if necessary
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level
  • Nine named substitutes
  • Maximum of five substitutions, with a sixth allowed in extra time[note 2]

Notes
  1. Originally set for 22 September 2020, the tie between Leyton Orient and Tottenham Hotspur was postponed after multiple Orient players tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.[5] On 25 September, it was confirmed that Tottenham had received a bye into the fourth round, due to Orient's inability to fulfill the fixture.[6]
  2. Each team will be only given three opportunities to make substitutions, with a fourth opportunity in extra time, excluding substitutions made at half-time, before the start of extra time and at half-time in extra time.

References
  1. "Carabao Cup Final to be rescheduled". English Football League. 21 December 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  2. "2020/21 season dates confirmed across the EFL". English Football League. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  3. "EFL Cup final moved from February to April". BBC Sport. 21 December 2020.
  4. McNulty, Phil (5 January 2021). "Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Brentford: Jose Mourinho reaches Carabao Cup final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  5. "Leyton Orient v Tottenham: Carabao Cup tie called off after positive coronavirus tests". BBC Sport. 22 September 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  6. "EFL statement: Leyton Orient v Tottenham Hotspur". English Football League. 25 September 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  7. Hafez, Shamoon (29 September 2020). "Carabao Cup: Tottenham 1-1 Chelsea (5-4 pens) - Spurs progress on spot-kicks". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  8. Johnston, Neil (23 December 2020). "Stoke City 1-3 Tottenham Hotspur: Jose Mourinho's side one win from final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  9. "Manchester City 2-1 Bournemouth: Liam Delap delighted with 'dream' debut". BBC Sport. 24 September 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  10. Johnston, Neil (30 September 2020). "Burnley 0-3 Manchester City: Raheem Sterling scores twice in Carabao Cup". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  11. Johnston, Neil (22 December 2020). "Arsenal 1-4 Manchester City: Pep Guardiola triumphs in battle with former assistant Mikel Arteta". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  12. Stone, Simon (6 January 2021). "Man Utd 0-2 Man City: Pep Guardiola's side reach Carabao Cup final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  13. "Regulations". EFL.com. English Football League. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
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