Manchester United will once again watch the League Cup final from home this weekend, as Chelsea takes on Liverpool at Wembley Stadium this afternoon (4.30pm kick-off).
United last won the competition in 2017, their fifth victory in a row.
It was one of two trophies Jose Mourinho won during his stint at Old Trafford, having also led the squad to Europa League victory the same year – the club’s final piece of silverware. A few months before that night in Stockholm, a number of high-profile United players hoisted the League Cup above the Wembley arch after a 3-2 win over Southampton.
Some of them in that day’s starting XI have since moved on, and some have even retired, but others remain with the club. MEN Sport is looking back upon them…
De Gea, David
The Spaniard remains an important member of the United team, and his recent resurgence has earned his club incalculable points.
De Gea is closing in on 500 games for the club, having preserved an amazing 163 clean sheets since joining from Atletico Madrid in 2011.
He still wears the number one jersey after more than a decade.
Antonio Valencia,
Valencia would stay at Old Trafford for two more seasons following the 2016/17 season before returning to Ecuador to play for Quito and Queretaro.
He retired from football in May 2021, capping an 18-year career that featured nine trophies with Manchester United.
Eric Bailly,
Due to injuries and his participation in the African Cup of Nations, the Ivory Coast international has failed to establish himself as a fixture in the United squad in recent times.
He has only made seven appearances this season, but he still has more than two years left on his deal.
Chris Smalling,
Once a successful loan spell at Roma, Smalling decided to make the move permanent after his United career had come to an end.
He restored his relationship with Mourinho when the Portuguese coach joined at the club last year, and he is still a regular in the team.
Marcos Rojo,
During his time at the club, Rojo had a tumultuous relationship with the Old Trafford fans, which ended on a bad note.
He was able to force a return to Argentina in 2020 by joining boyhood club Estudiantes on loan before departing Manchester permanently last year when he signed for Boca Juniors.
Ander Herrera,
The 32-year-old joined PSG from United in 2019 and helped them reach the Champions League final in 2020 when they were defeated by Bayern Munich.
He will almost probably become a centurion for the French club this year, having previously surpassed the 100-game mark for Manchester United and Athletic Bilbao, where he was a fan favorite.
Paul Pogba,
The League Cup is one of only two trophies Pogba has won since his high-profile move to Old Trafford in 2016, and he may complete his stint at Old Trafford without additional success.
His contract expires this summer, and if no renewal is reached, United fans may see him wave goodbye for the final time this summer.
Jesse Lingard,
Another academy product is expected to depart this summer. Lingard had one of his best seasons in his career under Mourinho, featuring in the League Cup victory. However, he has failed to live up to those expectations in recent seasons.
With his contract set to expire at the conclusion of the season, his exit at the end of the season appears likely.
Juan Mata,
Many Chelsea fans chastised Mata for being disloyal following his controversial move from Stamford Bridge in 2014, but United fans would argue the reverse.
Despite not receiving much game time recently, the Spaniard has shown to be a dependable club servant.
He, too, could be on the move this summer, as the 33-year-contract old’s expires in June.
Anthony Martial
Martial is still a United player while on loan in Sevilla, but it’s unclear whether he’ll be back next season.
The France international made it obvious in January that he wanted to force the transition, and his future at Old Trafford could be determined by who is appointed as the club’s new permanent manager.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic,
Ibrahimovic, who was a key player in United’s seasons from 2016 to 2018, scored two goals in the 2017 League Cup final triumph against Southampton to help United win 3-2, is still going strong in Italy with AC Milan at the age of 40.
He has eight goals in 15 Serie A outings, but injuries are starting to catch up with him. He is now out with an Achilles injury, having been plagued by a slew of problems since his return to the San Siro.
SUBS
Wayne Rooney – The club’s captain at the time, Rooney left in the summer of 2017 following a trophy-laden 13-year tenure.
Michael Carrick – The midfielder retired in 2018 and joined the club’s coaching staff, serving as caretaker manager when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was fired.
Marouane Fellaini – The Belgian was a fan favorite under Mourinho, but Solskjaer immediately moved him to China in January 2019.
Jose Mourinho is the manager.
The enigmatic manager is now eighth in Serie A with Roma and has recently been handed a touchline ban for a verbal disagreement with a referee.
The 59-year-old is not remembered favorably for his tenure at United, despite the fact that the club has not won any more trophies since his departure in 2018.
