This week marks the start of the quarter-finals.
After an exciting weekend in the Premier League, the focus shifts to the EFL Cup this week, kicking off with the quarter-finals on Tuesday. Over the past 21 seasons, only three teams outside of the traditional ‘Big Six’—Birmingham City in 2011, Swansea City in 2013, and Newcastle last season—have claimed the EFL Cup. However, this season could see a new winner emerge. Among the last eight teams, only Manchester City, Arsenal, and Chelsea represent the ‘Big Six’, giving fans of other clubs hope for potential glory at Wembley.
Crystal Palace and Brentford have both had solid starts to the season and are among the final eight in the EFL Cup. Fulham experienced a rocky start but appear to be regaining their form, while League One’s Cardiff City is the only non-Premier League club remaining in the quarter-finals. This year could see a champion who hasn’t tasted EFL Cup glory in a long time—or perhaps ever. Here are the quarter-final matchups: Cardiff vs. Chelsea, Manchester City vs. Brentford, Newcastle vs. Fulham, Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace.
When did each EFL Cup quarter-finalist last win the trophy?
As shown in the graphic above, four of the eight remaining teams in this season’s EFL Cup have never won the title. For Brentford, Cardiff, Crystal Palace, and Fulham, victory would mark their first triumph in this competition. Cardiff City reached the final in the 2011/12 season but lost to Liverpool on penalties, while the other three teams have yet to progress to the final.
Interestingly, while Arsenal is the most successful club in FA Cup history, they haven’t won the EFL Cup in 32 years and have only claimed it twice overall. Chelsea’s last title came a decade ago, in 2015, marking a 10-year wait since their fifth victory. Manchester City holds the record for the most EFL Cup wins, claiming it four times in a row from 2017 to 2021, but they haven’t lifted the trophy in four years. Meanwhile, Newcastle is aiming to defend their title after winning the League Cup for the first time last March.
