Chelsea vs Man City: Pep Guardiola's men retain Carabao Cup title after beating Blues on penalties
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Your support makes all the difference.Manchester City retained the English League Cup by beating Chelsea 4-3 on penalties after a bizarre climax to the Wembley showpiece on Sunday which saw Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga refuse to be substituted.
Nothing could separate the sides as the match finished 0-0 after extra time but it was City who claimed the season's first major silverware as they won the shootout.
Raheem Sterling fired the decisive spot kick past Spaniard Arrizabalaga to complete the first part of what could be a quadruple for Pep Guardiola's side.
Arrizabalaga minutes earlier been involved in surely one of the strangest incidents in a Wembley final when he defied Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri's orders to come off in the closing minutes of extra time after appearing to be injured.
Sarri, who had told substitute keeper Willy Caballero to take over from Arrizabalaga, was left fuming in the technical area at the open show of mutiny by one of his players.
"It was a big misunderstanding because I understood the keeper had cramp and was unable to go to the penalties. But it was not cramp and he could go to the penalties," Sarri said.
To compound matters Arrizabalaga then dived over Sergio Aguero's weak penalty during the shootout.
He did save from Leroy Sane but when Chelsea's David Luiz struck the post with his spot kick, it was left to Sterling to smash his penalty high into the roof of the net and send the City fans into delirium after a tense afternoon.
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SO, SO COOL! Chelsea 3-3 Manchester City
Chipped left of centre over the diving Ederson, who desperately sticks out a paw but can't reach it.
IN OFF THE BAR! MANCHESTER WIN THE CARABAO CUP 4-3 ON PENALTIES!
It's just about the perfect penalty, hitting the underside of the crossbar in the top left corner, but there was certainly a nervy moment as the ball cannoned against the woodwork.
It tumbled down and in, however, and Manchester City retain the League Cup.
What drama!
Kepa's insubordination will be the story of one of the more dour cup finals in recent memory.
Huge smiles on the faces of all those of a Manchester City persuasion, and fittingly it was the local lad Raheem Sterling who scored the winning penalty.
"We just need to keep winning games," remarks Raheem Sterling.
Pep Guardiola becomes the first Manchester City manager to retain a major trophy.
One down, three to go?
Kepa claps the Chelsea supporters in the game, but you can see the anguish on his face.
He really should have saved Sergio Aguero's penalty, but given how things unfolded in those last few minutes of extra time he'll face some harsh questioning in the coming days.
A moment that tarnished a massively improved Chelsea showing, and you wonder where Maurizio Sarri and his goalkeeper go from here.
"I don't know how important but it feels great. To win it back-to-back is always more difficult than the first time," comments Ilkay Gundogan.
The Chelsea players climb the stairs of Wembley to shake the hands of the dignitaries.
The cruellest method of defeat after battling so hard for so long.
And here come the Manchester City players, Vincent Kompany leading the charge up the stairs.
Another trophy to hoist high above his head.
Pep Guardiola takes the chance to reflect on the pitch, the briefest of quiet moments to consider his thoughts before hugging a couple more staff members
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