League Cup, 2018 (Carabao Cup)

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  • 2017-18 was the 58th season of the Football League Cup competition.
  • This was the first of a three-year sponsorship deal with a Thai-based energy drinks company Carabao Dang when the Football League Cup was rebranded as the Carabao Cup.
  • All 92 members of the Premier League and English Football League (EFL) competed.
  • 22 clubs from the League Championship, 24 from League One and 24 for League Two (70 in total) entered at the first round stage.
  • The remaining two clubs from the League Championship (Hull City and Middlesbrough; the two highest ranked clubs who were relegated from the previous season's Premier League) entered at the second round stage along with the 13 Premier League clubs who were not involved in European competitions.
  • Therefore, a total of 50 clubs compete in the second round.
  • The remaining seven Premier League clubs (Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Everton) entered at the third round stage (32 clubs in total).
  • As well as notable mistakes and delays being made during the first, second and fifth round draws, further controversy surrounded the third round draw. Aimed at attracting publicity in China, it took place in Beijing at 11.15am (4.15am in Britain).
  • Other than the two-legged semi-finals, each tie was played as a single game.
  • In the event of the scores being level at the end of 90 minutes in the first, second, third, fourth and fifth rounds and the final, 30 minutes extra time would be played.
  • If those ties remain undecided after extra time, the tie would go to a penalty shoot-out.
  • This was the first season that the ABBA format penalty shoot-out was introduced to the competition.
  • Already being trialled by UEFA, the system was based on the format used in tennis tie-breaks, with the team taking the first kick in each pair of kicks alternating, so AB BA AB and so on instead of AB AB etc.
  • In the semi-finals, if the aggregate score was level at the end of the second leg, 30 minutes extra time would be played. If still level at the end of extra time, the away goals rule applied. If the tie still remained level on away goals, it would then go to a penalty shoot-out (again using the ABBA format).
  • This was the first season that, in addition to the familiar three substitutions, a fourth substitution could be made where extra time was played.
  • Subject to their final position in the Premier League, the winners would be due to qualify for the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League in 2018-19.