How many times have Liverpool won the League Cup?

Liverpool Football Club is one of the most successful clubs in English football history. Based in Liverpool, England, they have won 19 League titles, 7 FA Cups, 8 League Cups, 6 European Cups, and 3 UEFA Cups. Their rich history in domestic and European competitions puts them among the most decorated clubs in world football.

Quick Answer

Liverpool have won the League Cup, which is known currently as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons, 8 times. This puts them second behind Manchester City, who have won the competition 7 times, for the most League Cup titles.

League Cup Background

The League Cup is England’s secondary cup competition, behind the more prestigious FA Cup. It is open to all 92 teams in the English football league system, from the Premier League all the way down to League Two.

The League Cup was established in 1960 and was originally called the Football League Cup. It was created in order to fill the void without league matches during the early stages of the football season. It has had various sponsored names over the years, including the Milk Cup, Littlewoods Challenge Cup, Rumbelows Cup, Coca-Cola Cup, Worthington Cup, and currently the Carabao Cup.

Manchester City are the current League Cup holders, having beaten Aston Villa 2-1 in the 2020 final. As mentioned previously, they also hold the record for most League Cup titles, with 7. The competition has been won by many of England’s top clubs including Liverpool, Manchester United (5 titles), Aston Villa (5), Chelsea (5), Tottenham (4), and Nottingham Forest (4).

Liverpool’s League Cup History

Liverpool first participated in the League Cup in the 1960-61 season, which was the inaugural edition of the competition. They would lose to Aston Villa in the semi-finals that season. Liverpool had to wait another 7 seasons before finally lifting the trophy for the first time in the 1966-67 season.

Here is a breakdown of the 8 times Liverpool have won the League Cup:

Season Final Opponent Score
1966-67 Leicester City Liverpool won 2-1 (after extra time)
1971-72 Stoke City Liverpool won 2-1 (after extra time)
1980-81 West Ham Liverpool won 2-1 (after extra time)
1981-82 Tottenham Liverpool won 3-1
1982-83 Manchester United Liverpool won 2-1
1983-84 Everton Liverpool won 1-0 (after extra time)
1994-95 Bolton Liverpool won 2-1
2000-01 Birmingham City Liverpool won 5-4 on penalties

A few things stand out when looking at Liverpool’s 8 League Cup titles:

  • 5 of the 8 finals went to extra time after finishing level in regular time
  • 3 of the victories came against local rivals Everton, Manchester United, and Merseyside neighbors Everton
  • There were two spells of sustained League Cup dominance – 3 titles in a row from 1980-1982 and 4 titles over 5 seasons from 1981-1984
  • It took 29 years between their 7th title in 1995 and their most recent one in 2001

Noteworthy League Cup Wins

In Liverpool’s long history in the League Cup, there have been some Finals and moments that stand out as particulalry memorable for the club and its supporters.

1966-67: First League Cup Title

The first major trophy is always a special one. After falling just short in the first League Cup in 1960-61, Liverpool gained revenge over two-legged final opponents Leicester City in 1967. A 2-1 extra time victory in the second leg at Anfield saw Bill Shankly lift his first trophy as Liverpool manager.

1980-81: First of Three Straight Titles

The 1980-81 League Cup provided the first silverware of Liverpool’s tremendous run of success through the early 1980s. A 2-1 extra time victory over West Ham United kicked off a run of 3 consecutive League Cup wins under manager Bob Paisley.

1982-83: Defeating Manchester United

Liverpool faced rivals Manchester United in the 1982-83 League Cup Final, with the two sides also competing fiercely for the Division One title. Goals from Ronnie Whelan and Ian Rush secured a 2-1 victory for Liverpool over United in the Final at Wembley.

1994-95: Ending an Era with a Win

The 1994-95 League Cup Final marked the end of an era, as it was Liverpool manager Roy Evans’ first major final and the last Liverpool match for legends Ian Rush and John Barnes. A 90th minute own goal by Bolton’s Alan Knight have Liverpool a dramatic 2-1 win in what was their 7th League Cup title.

5 Key Liverpool Players in League Cup History

Some standout players have contributed greatly to Liverpool’s success over the years in the League Cup. Here are 5 of their best performers in the competition’s history:

Ian Rush

The legendary Welsh goalscorer netted 4 goals over the course of Liverpool’s League Cup Finals in 1981-82, 1982-83, and 1983-84. He was a goalscoring machine in the early 1980s.

Kenny Dalglish

Liverpool’s player-manager was at his peak in the early 1980s. He scored the winner in extra time of the 1981 Final against West Ham and captained the team to the 1982 and 1983 Cup victories.

Steven Gerrard

Gerrard is Liverpool’s all-time appearance leader with 710 total matches. He captained the side to the 2001 League Cup title and scored crucial goals en route to that and other cup successes.

Ray Clemence

Clemence was Liverpool’s rock in goal during their 1970s and 1980s dynasty. He played every minute of Liverpool’s 6 League Cup winning campaigns between 1978 and 1984.

Robbie Fowler

Fowler burst onto the scene as an 18-year old goalscoring phenom in 1993. He scored Liverpool’s injury time equalizer against Fulham in the 2001 League Cup semi-final, helping pave the way for their cup win.

Liverpool’s Runner-up Finishes

In addition to their 8 League Cup titles, Liverpool have finished as runners-up in the competition on 4 different occasions:

  • 1966: Lost 3-2 on aggregate to West Bromwich Albion
  • 1970: Lost 2-1 in a replay to Manchester City after a 0-0 draw
  • 1978: Lost 1-0 in a replay to Nottingham Forest after a 0-0 draw
  • 2016: Lost 3-1 on penalties to Manchester City after a 1-1 draw

The 2016 loss on penalties to Manchester City shows that even recently, into the modern era, Liverpool have had opportunities to add to their impressive League Cup haul.

Conclusion

Liverpool’s total of 8 League Cup titles over the competition’s 60+ year history cements their status as one of England’s most successfully domestic cup sides. Key players, standout moments, and a period of sustained dominance in the early 1980s highlighted their success.

As they chase more Premier League and Champions League glory in the coming years under manager Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool will look to improve upon their League Cup total whenever they get the opportunity to compete deep into the domestic cup competitions.

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