Manchester United will be watching the League Cup final from home once again this weekend as Chelsea take on Liverpool at Wembley this afternoon (4.30pm kick off).
United last won the competition in 2017, their fifth triumph in the competition.
It was one of two trophies Jose Mourinho won in his time at Old Trafford, having also guided the team to Europa League success in the same year — the club’s last piece of silverware. A few month’s prior to that night in Stockholm, a number of high-profile United players held the League Cup aloft under the Wembley arch following a 3-2 win over Southampton.
Some of those in the starting XI that day have since moved on, and even retired, but others still remain at the club. Here MEN Sport looks back at them...
David de Gea
The Spaniard is still a key part of the United team and his rejuvenated form of late has earned his side an incalculable amount of points.
De Gea is now approaching 500 games for the club, having kept an impressive 163 clean sheets since his move from Atletico in 2011.
More than a decade on, he retains the number one jersey.
Antonio Valencia
Valencia would enjoy two more years at Old Trafford after the 2016/17 season, before returning to native Ecuador to play for Quito and Queretaro.
He hung up his boots for good in May 2021, ending an 18-year career that included a haul of nine trophies with United.
Eric Bailly
The Ivory Coast international has struggled to become a regular in the United side in recent times and has not played a league match since December 30 due to injury and his appearance at the African Cup of Nations.
He’s made just seven appearances this season but still has more than two years remaining on his contract.
Chris Smalling
With his United career stalling, Smalling made the permanent switch to Roma in 2020 after a successful loan spell.
He rekindled ties with Mourinho when the Portuguese manager arrived at the club last year and remains a regular in the team.
Marcos Rojo
Rojo had a hot-and-cold relationship with the Old Trafford faithful during his time at the club, which ended somewhat sourly.
He managed to force an exit to homeland Argentina in 2020 when he joined boyhood outfit Estudiantes on loan before leaving Manchester for good last year when he signed for Boca Juniors.
Ander Herrera
The 32-year-old left United for PSG in 2019, helping them to reach the Champions League final in 2020 where they lost to Bayern Munich.
He will almost certainly become a centurion for the French outfit this year, having previously reached the 100-games milestone at United and Athletic Bilbao and having been a fan favourite at both.
Paul Pogba
The League Cup is one of only two trophies won by Pogba since his high-profile 2016 move, and he may well end his time at Old Trafford without any further success.
His contract runs out this summer and, with a renewal not agreed, United fans could see him wave goodbye for the final time this summer.
Jesse Lingard
Another academy product that is being tipped to leave this summer. Lingard enjoyed the best seasons of his career under Mourinho, including starring in the League Cup win. But he has failed to live up to those heights again in the last few seasons.
An exit at the end of the season looks likely with his contract due for expiry.
Juan Mata
Many Chelsea fans criticised Mata for being disloyal after his controversial switch from Stamford Bridge in 2014, but in the time since, United fans would argue the opposite.
The Spaniard has proved to be a reliable club servant despite not seeing much game time of late.
He too could be on the move in the summer with the 33-year-old’s deal running out in June.
Anthony Martial
Martial is still a United player while he enjoys his loan in Sevilla, but whether that will be the case next season is uncertain.
The France international made his feelings clear in January about wanting to force the switch and his future at Old Trafford could lie with who becomes the new permanent manager.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
A major player in United’s seasons between 2016 and 2018, scoring two goals in the 2017 League Cup final win over Southampton to help United win 3-2, Ibrahimovic is still going strong in Italy with AC Milan at the age of 40.
He’s netted eight times in 15 Serie A appearances but injuries are starting to catch up with the veteran. He is currently sidelined with an Achilles problem having suffered a plethora of issues since his return to the San Siro.
SUBS
Wayne Rooney - Then the United captain, Rooney would leave in the summer of 2017 after a trophy-laden 13 years with the club.
Michael Carrick - The midfielder called time on his career in 2018 and moved onto the club's coaching staff, enjoying a period as caretaker boss after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's sacking.
Marouane Fellaini - Belgian was a favourite under Mourinho but was quickly sold to China by Solskjaer in January 2019.
Manager - Jose Mourinho
The enigmatic boss is now battling in eighth with Roma in Serie A and has recently been handed a touchline ban for a verbal altercation with a referee.
The 59-year-old is not remembered too fondly for his time at United, albeit the club have not won any more silverware since his exit in 2018.
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