Football tournament season
1986–87 Football League Cup Country England Wales Teams 92 Champions Arsenal (1st title)Runners-up Liverpool Top goal scorer(s) John Aldridge (6)
The 1986–87 Football League Cup (known as the Littlewoods Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 27th season of the Football League Cup , a knockout competition for England's top 92 football clubs.
The competition began on 25 August 1986, and ended with the final on 5 April 1987. The final was played between Arsenal and Liverpool . The match, played in front of 96,000 spectators at Wembley Stadium , was won by Arsenal 2–1.
Luton Town were thrown out of the competition when they refused to allow Cardiff City fans to attend the match at Kenilworth Road. This was at the moment when club's then chairman, Conservative MP David Evans , tried to introduce a scheme effective from the start of 1986–87 banning all visiting supporters from the ground, and requiring home fans to carry identity cards when attending matches.
First round [ ]
First Leg [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Aldershot
1–3
Fulham
26 August 1986
Blackpool
0–0
Preston North End
26 August 1986
Bournemouth
0–1
Bristol City
26 August 1986
Bristol Rovers
1–2
Reading
27 August 1986
Bury
2–1
Bolton Wanderers
26 August 1986
Cardiff City
5–4
Plymouth Argyle
26 August 1986
Carlisle United
1–0
Grimsby Town
2 September 1986
Chesterfield
0–2
Wrexham
26 August 1986
Colchester United
0–0
Peterborough United
26 August 1986
Derby County
0–1
Chester City
27 August 1986
Doncaster Rovers
1–1
Rotherham United
26 August 1986
Exeter City
0–0
Newport County
27 August 1986
Gillingham
1–0
Northampton Town
25 August 1986
Hartlepool United
1–1
Middlesbrough
26 August 1986
Hereford United
3–3
Swansea City
27 August 1986
Huddersfield Town
3–1
Halifax Town
26 August 1986
Orient
2–2
Cambridge United
26 August 1986
Notts County
1–3
Port Vale
26 August 1986
Rochdale
1–1
Burnley
26 August 1986
Scunthorpe United
2–0
Darlington
26 August 1986
Shrewsbury Town
0–0
Crewe Alexandra
26 August 1986
Southend United
1–0
Brentford
26 August 1986
Stockport County
2–1
Tranmere Rovers
26 August 1986
Sunderland
2–4
York City
26 August 1986
Swindon Town
3–0
Torquay United
26 August 1986
Walsall
1–0
Mansfield Town
26 August 1986
Wigan Athletic
1–3
Blackburn Rovers
26 August 1986
Wolverhampton Wanderers
1–2
Lincoln City
26 August 1986
Second Leg [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Agg
Blackburn Rovers
2–0
Wigan Athletic
2 September 1986
5–1
Bolton Wanderers
0–0
Bury
2 September 1986
1–2
Brentford
2–3
Southend United
2 September 1986
2–4
Bristol City
1–1[1]
Bournemouth
2 September 1986
2–1
Burnley
1–3
Rochdale
2 September 1986
2–4
Cambridge United
1–0
Orient
2 September 1986
3–2
Chester City
1–2[2]
Derby County
3 September 1986
2–2
Crewe Alexandra
0–4
Shrewsbury Town
2 September 1986
0–4
Darlington
1–2
Scunthorpe United
2 September 1986
1–4
Fulham
2–0
Aldershot
3 September 1986
5–1
Grimsby Town
2–0
Carlisle United
9 September 1986
2–1
Halifax Town
2–2[1]
Huddersfield Town
2 September 1986
3–5
Lincoln City
0–1[1] [3]
Wolverhampton Wanderers
2 September 1986
2–2
Mansfield Town
2–4
Walsall
2 September 1986
2–5
Middlesbrough
2–0
Hartlepool United
2 September 1986
3–1
Newport County
1–0
Exeter City
2 September 1986
1–0
Northampton Town
2–2
Gillingham
3 September 1986
2–3
Peterborough United
2–0
Colchester United
3 September 1986
2–0
Plymouth Argyle
0–1
Cardiff City
2 September 1986
4–6
Port Vale
4–1
Notts County
3 September 1986
7–2
Preston North End
2–1
Blackpool
2 September 1986
2–1
Reading
4–0
Bristol Rovers
3 September 1986
6–1
Rotherham United
4–1
Doncaster Rovers
2 September 1986
5–2
Swansea City
5–1
Hereford United
2 September 1986
8–4
Torquay United
2–3
Swindon Town
2 September 1986
2–6
Tranmere Rovers
3–3
Stockport County
2 September 1986
4–5
Wrexham
2–2
Chesterfield
2 September 1986
4–2
York City
1–3[1] [4]
Sunderland
2 September 1986
5–5
Second round [ ]
First Leg [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Arsenal
2–0
Huddersfield Town
23 September 1986
Barnsley
2–3
Tottenham Hotspur
23 September 1986
Bradford City
2–0
Newcastle United
23 September 1986
Brighton & Hove Albion
0–0
Nottingham Forest
24 September 1986
Bristol City
2–2
Sheffield United
23 September 1986
Cambridge United
1–1
Wimbledon
23 September 1986
Charlton Athletic
3–1
Lincoln City
23 September 1986
Coventry City
3–2
Rotherham United
23 September 1986
Crystal Palace
0–0
Bury
24 September 1986
Derby County
4–1
West Bromwich Albion
24 September 1986
Everton
4–0
Newport County
24 September 1986
Hull City
1–0
Grimsby Town
23 September 1986
Liverpool
10–0
Fulham
23 September 1986
Manchester United
2–0
Port Vale
24 September 1986
Middlesbrough
2–2
Birmingham City
23 September 1986
Oldham Athletic
3–2
Leeds United
23 September 1986
Oxford United
6–0
Gillingham
24 September 1986
Peterborough United
0–0
Norwich City
24 September 1986
Preston North End
1–1
West Ham United
23 September 1986
Queens Park Rangers
2–1
Blackburn Rovers
23 September 1986
Reading
1–1
Aston Villa
24 September 1986
Scunthorpe United
1–2
Ipswich Town
23 September 1986
Sheffield Wednesday
3–0
Stockport County
23 September 1986
Shrewsbury Town
2–1
Stoke City
23 September 1986
Southampton
3–0
Swindon Town
23 September 1986
Southend United
0–0
Manchester City
23 September 1986
Swansea City
0–2
Leicester City
23 September 1986
Walsall
0–1
Millwall
7 October 1986
Watford
1–1
Rochdale
23 September 1986
Wrexham
1–2
Portsmouth
24 September 1986
York City
1–0
Chelsea
23 September 1986
Second Leg [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Agg
Aston Villa
4–1
Reading
8 October 1986
5–2
Birmingham City
3–2[1]
Middlesbrough
7 October 1986
5–4
Blackburn Rovers
2–2
Queens Park Rangers
7 October 1986
3–4
Bury
0–1
Crystal Palace
7 October 1986
0–1
Chelsea
3–0
York City
8 October 1986
3–1
Fulham
2–3
Liverpool
7 October 1986
2–13
Gillingham
1–1
Oxford United
7 October 1986
1–7
Grimsby Town
1–1
Hull City
7 October 1986
1–2
Huddersfield Town
1–1
Arsenal
7 October 1986
1–3
Ipswich Town
2–0
Scunthorpe United
7 October 1986
4–1
Leeds United
0–1
Oldham Athletic
8 October 1986
2–4
Leicester City
4–2
Swansea City
8 October 1986
6–2
Lincoln City
0–1
Charlton Athletic
8 October 1986
1–4
Manchester City
2–1
Southend United
8 October 1986
2–1
Millwall
3–2
Walsall
14 October 1986
4–2
Newcastle United
1–0
Bradford City
8 October 1986
1–2
Newport County
1–5
Everton
7 October 1986
1–9
Norwich City
1–0
Peterborough United
8 October 1986
1–0
Nottingham Forest
3–0
Brighton & Hove Albion
8 October 1986
3–0
Port Vale
2–5
Manchester United
7 October 1986
2–7
Portsmouth
2–0
Wrexham
7 October 1986
4–1
Rochdale
1–2
Watford
7 October 1986
2–3
Rotherham United
0–1
Coventry City
7 October 1986
2–4
Sheffield United
3–0
Bristol City
7 October 1986
5–2
Stockport County
0–7
Sheffield Wednesday
6 October 1986
0–10
Stoke City
0–0
Shrewsbury Town
8 October 1986
1–2
Swindon Town
0–0
Southampton
8 October 1986
0–3
Tottenham Hotspur
5–3
Barnsley
8 October 1986
8–5
West Bromwich Albion
0–1
Derby County
7 October 1986
1–5
West Ham United
4–1
Preston North End
7 October 1986
5–2
Wimbledon
2–2[1] [5]
Cambridge United
7 October 1986
3–3
Luton Town v Cardiff City [ ]
Luton Town were thrown out of the competition when they refused to allow Cardiff City fans to attend the match at Kenilworth Road.
This allowed Cardiff City a bye into the Third Round.
Third round [ ]
Ties [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Arsenal
3–1
Manchester City
28 October 1986
Bradford City
3–1
Portsmouth
29 October 1986
Cambridge United
1–0
Ipswich Town
28 October 1986
Cardiff City
2–1
Chelsea
28 October 1986
Charlton Athletic
1–0
Queens Park Rangers
28 October 1986
Coventry City
2–1
Oldham Athletic
28 October 1986
Crystal Palace
2–2
Nottingham Forest
29 October 1986
Derby County
1–1
Aston Villa
29 October 1986
Everton
4–0
Sheffield Wednesday
28 October 1986
Liverpool
4–1
Leicester City
29 October 1986
Manchester United
0–0
Southampton
29 October 1986
Norwich City
4–1
Millwall
29 October 1986
Oxford United
3–1
Sheffield United
29 October 1986
Shrewsbury Town
1–0
Hull City
28 October 1986
Tottenham Hotspur
5–0
Birmingham City
29 October 1986
Watford
2–3
West Ham United
29 October 1986
Replays [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Aston Villa
2–1
Derby County
4 November 1986
Nottingham Forest
1–0
Crystal Palace
5 November 1986
Southampton
4–1
Manchester United
4 November 1986
Fourth round [ ]
Ties [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Arsenal
2–0
Charlton Athletic
18 November 1986
Bradford City
0–5
Nottingham Forest
18 November 1986
Cambridge United
1–3
Tottenham Hotspur
18 November 1986
Coventry City
0–0
Liverpool
18 November 1986
Norwich City
1–4
Everton
19 November 1986
Shrewsbury Town
1–0
Cardiff City
19 November 1986
Southampton
2–1
Aston Villa
19 November 1986
West Ham United
1–0
Oxford United
26 November 1986
Replay [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Liverpool
3–1
Coventry City
26 November 1986
Fifth Round [ ]
Ties [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Arsenal
2–0
Nottingham Forest
21 January 1987
Everton
0–1
Liverpool
21 January 1987
Southampton
1–0
Shrewsbury Town
27 January 1987
West Ham United
1–1
Tottenham Hotspur
27 January 1987
Replay [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Tottenham Hotspur
5–0
West Ham United
2 February 1987
Semi-finals [ ]
North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur were both in the league title race this season and the League Cup semi-final paired them together, where the scores were equal over two legs before Arsenal won the replay. Liverpool, four time winners earlier in the decade, were held to a 0–0 draw at Southampton in the first leg of the other semi-final before triumphing 3–0 at Anfield.
First Leg [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Arsenal
0–1
Tottenham Hotspur
8 February 1987
Southampton
0–0
Liverpool
11 February 1987
Second Leg [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Agg
Liverpool
3–0
Southampton
25 February 1987
3–0
Tottenham Hotspur
1–2[1]
Arsenal
1 March 1987
2–2
Replay [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Tottenham Hotspur
1–2
Arsenal
4 March 1987
Final [ ]
Match details [ ]
References [ ]
General [ ]
Specific [ ]
^ a b c d e f g After Extra Time
^ Derby County won on the away goals rule
^ Lincoln City won on the away goals rule
^ York City won on the away goals rule
^ Cambridge United won on the away goals rule
EFL Cup
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(, )
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