Tottenham Hotspur vs. Manchester City: League Cup Final match thread & how to watch

Not a single person reading this needs to be reminded of what is at stake. Since hoisting the League Cup trophy in 2008, Tottenham Hotspur has yet to claim any silverware, losing two League Cup finals (2009 and 2015) and falling just short in the 2019 Champions League. It has been a memorable 13 seasons that has seen the club take huge steps forward, yet the one thing that is missing is a trophy.

Sunday represents the latest chance to break that spell. Spurs are big underdogs to Manchester City, who is on its way to another Premier League title and perhaps a European honor to go with it. Caretaker Ryan Mason will have been on the job for under a week, making a win at Wembley even more improbable, but anything can happen in a cup final.

Perhaps the biggest source of hope is Tottenham’s inexplicable recent good fortunes against City, despite typically being outplayed — often significantly so. The 2019 Champions League Quarterfinal was one for the ages, and the following fall yielded a 2-2 draw thanks to a near repeat VAR decision. Jose Mourinho then snagged consecutive 2-0 wins at home despite a completely lopsided stat sheets, which finally leveled out in a 3-0 City victory in February.

Sunday’s final was pushed back in hopes of allowing some fans back into the stadium, and that will indeed be the case, though in limited numbers. It has been quite the week in European football, with both Spurs and City drawing tons of criticism, so there will definitely be some mixed emotions among supporters.

The League Cup may be the smallest of Tottenham’s four competitions, but there is no understating how meaningful a win would be today. It would be absolutely spectacular to see Harry Kane, Hugo Lloris, Heung-Min Son, Gareth Bale, and many others lift a trophy in a Spurs shirt, providing a final stamp of validation of the progress that we have already seen. It will not come easily, but this club deserves to finally win one.

Lineups

How to Watch

Date: Sunday, April 25, 2021
Time: 11:30 a.m. ET, 4:30 p.m. UK
Location: Wembley Stadium, London, England
TV: none (USA), Sky Sports Main Event (UK)
Streaming: ESPN+ (USA), Sky GO Extra (UK)

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Match thread rules

The match thread rules are the same as always. To any visitors coming here for the first time, welcome! We’re glad you’re here! Wipe your feet, mind the gap, and be sure to check out the other pages at this outstanding site. While you’re here, though, we have a few rules and regulations:

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Have fun, and COYS!