5. Tevez makes his point, 2010
Although City were eventually, narrowly edged out in this epic League Cup semi-final, the first leg provided one of the Etihad Stadium’s great moments of schadenfreude and near lifted the roof off.
Carlos Tevez had taken a fair bit of stick for his decision to swap Manchester red for blue and so you could forgive him for taking a moment to enjoy his goal which gave City a narrow advantage after the first leg.
The Argentine striker headed in a 65th minute winner and proceeded to celebrate in front of the Manchester United bench, cupping his hands to his ears.
4. Derby Day Delight, 1975
Another derby day moment but this one had a larger historical impact on the club – an emphatic win which sent City into the quarter-finals of the competition.
Dennis Tueart (him again, but not his last inclusion), gave City the lead in the opening seconds, before Asa Hartford doubled the damage.
Tueart netted his second with a sublime solo effort to make it 3-0 before the cherry was put atop this most delectable of cakes by Joe Royle’s crashing second half finish.
One of our most famous derby day wins of all-time and one that put us on the way to the 1976 title.
3. Breaking Ground, 1970
The first of two trophies City would win in 1970 was given to them by Glyn Pardoe’s extra-time winner against West Brom.
It was a match that looked in some doubt for a long time as the Horse of the Year show had turned the Wembley pitch into something of a quagmire in the days leading up to the game.
However, a team of volunteers got the field into a (just about) playable condition and good thing too, as City went on to beat the Baggies and to claim their first-ever League Cup trophy.
Joe Mercer’s all-conquering Blues would go on to win the European Cup Winners’ Cup later in the same season.
2. Toure De Force, 2014
He had no *right* to score from there…
Yaya Toure’s ludicrous strike in the 2014 Capital One Cup final will live long in the memory of all who were present at Wembley on that glorious day or watching from home on the box.
With City trailing Sunderland to Fabio Borini’s first-half strike, supporters had about as long as it takes to say “oh, what’s he shooting from there for?” as Toure’s arcing strike flew through the Wembley air and sailed past the despairing hand of Vito Mannone into the top corner.
One of the best goals ever score at the home of English football, it send City on their way to the first of two trophies in Manuel Pellegrini’s first season in charge.
1. Dennis The Menace, 1976
There was only ever going to be one winner…
Dennis Tueart’s unforgettable overhead kick which gave City their first trophy for six years is our no.1 League Cup moment of all-time.
That stunning goal which saw off Newcastle United has all the ingredients required to top an arbitrary countdown list of this nature - the perfect storm of timing, technique and importance.
That League Cup win turned out to be Tony Book’s first – and only – trophy in his tenure as City boss, though few realised it would be 35 years before the Club wins silverware again…
Watch it and drink it in all over again – as good now as it was 40 years ago.
Will there be another moment to add to this Top 20 League Cup Moments list on Sunday? Let’s hope so!
