cardiff were appearing in their first league cup final; they had previously reached the semi-final of the competition in the 1965–66 season, when they were beaten by west ham united 5–1 on aggregate. they were also the first team from outside the premier league to reach the final since 2001, when birmingham city lost to liverpool. liverpool were appearing in their eleventh final; they had won seven (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1995, 2001, 2003) and lost three (1978, 1987, 2005). the last meeting between the two teams was in the 2007–08 football league cup on 31 october 2007, liverpool won 2–1 to progress to the fifth round.