Editing EFL Cup (section)

==Status==
Although the League Cup is one of the four domestic trophies attainable by English league teams, it is regarded as of lower prestige than the league title or the [[FA Cup]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=DeBruler |first1=Paul |title=Let's Remove the Premier League from the League Cup |url=http://theshortfuse.sbnation.com/2015/10/28/9626748/lets-remove-the-premier-league-from-the-league-cup |website=SB Nation |date=28 October 2015 |access-date=17 July 2016 |archive-date=16 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816152621/http://theshortfuse.sbnation.com/2015/10/28/9626748/lets-remove-the-premier-league-from-the-league-cup |url-status=live }}</ref> League Cup winners receive £100,000 prize money (awarded by the Football League) with the runners-up receiving £50,000, considered relatively insignificant to top-flight teams, compared to the £2&nbsp;million prize money of the FA Cup, which is in turn eclipsed by the Premier League's television money (awarded on final league position) and consequent participation in the Champions League.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.premierleague.com/page/Faqs/0,,12306,00.html |title=Frequently asked questions about the F.A. Premier League, (How are television revenues distributed to Premier League clubs?) |publisher=Premier League |access-date=11 December 2007 |archive-date=26 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071126062218/http://www.premierleague.com/page/Faqs/0,,12306,00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/premier-league-nets-16314bn-tv-rights-bonanza-1925462.html |title=Premier League nets £1.4bn TV rights bonanza |last=Harris |first=Nick |date=23 March 2010 |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |access-date=12 September 2010 |archive-date=26 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100326095130/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/premier-league-nets-16314bn-tv-rights-bonanza-1925462.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Some clubs have repeatedly fielded a weaker side in the competition, making the opportunity for [[Upset (competition)|giant-killing]] of the larger clubs more likely. Many teams in the [[Premier League]], [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] and [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] in particular, have used the competition to give young players valuable big-game experience.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2009/2/28/sports/3371444&sec=sports |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090301004437/http://www.thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=%2F2009%2F2%2F28%2Fsports%2F3371444&sec=sports |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 March 2009 |title=MU boss vows to field young guns in the League Cup final |date=28 February 2009 |work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]] |access-date=27 February 2011}}</ref> Unless they reach the later stages, at which they field their strongest possible team.

When [[Carling]] opted out of renewing their sponsorship of the League Cup in 2011, one of the reasons for ending sponsorship cited by the company was the lack of prestige the cup attracted, both from fans and from larger clubs.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/sep/27/carling-cup-sponsorship-league-molson |title=Carling opt out of League Cup sponsorship after 14 seasons |work=The Guardian |agency=Associated Press |date=27 September 2011 |access-date=20 March 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210429230228/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/sep/27/carling-cup-sponsorship-league-molson |archive-date=29 April 2021}}</ref>

However, in 2010, in response to [[Arsène Wenger]]'s claim that a League Cup win would not end his trophy drought, [[Alex Ferguson]] described the trophy as worth winning. After a period of decline when the competition's future was regularly questioned, recent years have seen a revival in respect for the trophy, as the larger Premier League clubs have come to dominate the competition again, and the development nature of the competition has begun to be viewed as a positive for the clubs involved. Premier League giants [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] (6), [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] (5), [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] (5) and [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] (3) between them won 19 editions of the tournament between 2001 and 2024.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/carling-cup-worth-winning-says-2764546 |title=Carling Cup worth winning says Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson |date=26 February 2010 |work=[[Liverpool Daily Post|Daily Post]] |access-date=27 February 2010 |archive-date=8 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208154437/http://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/carling-cup-worth-winning-says-2764546 |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:League Cup at Old Trafford.jpg|thumb|The League Cup]]