Carabao Cup final: The day Aston Villa laughed in the face of huge odds
Villa might be huge underdogs heading into Sunday’s Carabao Cup final but supporters can take heart in their club’s history of upsetting the odds at Wembley.
Villa’s underdog status was well-earned thanks to a rotten run of league results, including a 2-1 home defeat to Oldham eight days prior to Wembley.
“No-one in the press gave us a prayer,” recalls Daley. “Man United were going for the treble. We were in terrible form.”
Villa’s route to Wembley that season, however, provided players with reason for optimism.
“It had been quite the journey,” recalls defender Shaun Teale. “We’d not been at home aside from the two-legged games against Blues and Tranmere and had beaten Arsenal and Tottenham away.
“There was also a fourth round tie at Sunderland where we were battered for most of the match but won 4-1, the craziest match I ever played in.
“It is a cliché to say our name was on the cup but I think, as players, we really started to believe it.”
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