Laporte header seals League Cup triumph for Manchester City

Football - Carabao Cup Final - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - April 25, 2021. Manchester City's Fernandinho lifts the trophy as they celebrate winning the Carabao Cup. [Pool via REUTERS/Carl Recine]

Manchester City claimed a record-equalling fourth successive League Cup triumph as Aymeric Laporte's late header sealed a deserved 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Spurs had soaked up intense City pressure for most of the game to somehow stay in contention at Wembley Stadium.

But City finally made the breakthrough in the 82nd minute from an unlikely source as defender Laporte met Kevin de Bruyne's free kick and headed past goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

A combination of Lloris, last-ditch defending and some poor City finishing had kept the 8,000 crowd on tenterhooks but in the end Pep Guardiola's side got their reward.

They have now matched Liverpool's feat of winning the competition for four seasons in a row, and also join Liverpool with the most League Cup wins on eight.

Tottenham, who had rookie manager Ryan Mason on the touchline after Jose Mourinho's sacking last week, are still waiting for their first trophy since 2008. 

Manchester City players pose with the trophy as they celebrate after winning the Carabao Cup. [Pool via REUTERS/Carl Recine]