West Ham come to the King Power Stadium to present Leicester City's challenge for this season's Capital One Cup third round tie. After both teams have exceeded expectations in the Premier League so far this season, they'll be looking to pair a good domestic season with a cup run.
Both teams are in the top four of England's top division and have a great chance of, not just winning this match, but going far in the competition. With the League Cup (now the Capital One Cup) returning to the King Power Stadium, it's the perfect opportunity to re-live some of Leicester's greatest cup successes.
Three cup wins
Leicester have lifted the League Cup trophy on three occasions and finished second twice. Their most recent victory was in 2000, the last League Cup final to be played at the old Wembley, a hard-fought 2-1 win over Tranmere.
This was Leicester's third appearance in the league cup final in four years and was their second win of the three. This was probably the best of the wins, both goals courtesy of Leiecster captain, Matt Elliott, both headed goals from corners. Leicester went in front, for the first time, in the 29th minute after Steve Guppy's corner found the head of Matt Elliott who did the rest perfectly. Tranmere were reduced to ten men fourteen minutes before they managed to muster an equaliser against a side in the division above.
Signs of a possible fairy tale ending for Tranmere died a death less than five minutes after their equaliser. Almost a carbon copy of Leicester's first goal meant that Matt Elliott wouldn't just be picking up the Man of the Match award but he'd also be raising the trophy come full time.
The Foxes' other recent success came only three years before against a Middlesbrough side captained by a certain Nigel Pearson. The game finished 0-0 after regulation time and needed an extra half hour to find a winner. Fabrizio Ravanelli scored what seemed like a definite winner in the 95th minute until an 18 year-old Emile Heskey scored a very late equaliser in the 118th minute. The last League Cup final to go to a replay ended with Leicester lifting the trophy at Hillsbrough with another extra time goal, this time the winner from Steve Claridge.
The first ever triumph
Leicester's first ever League Cup triumph came in 1964, only the fourth vesion of the competition to be staged. Leicester overcame Stoke City over both legs, winning the second leg 3-2 at Filbert Street after a 1-1 draw at Stoke's Victoria Ground.
Leicester's successful League Cup history shows that they are capable of getting their hands on the trophy, but with it being only their second season back in the Premier League, safety is by far Claudio Ranieri's main aim for the season. The fans would love a good cup run but surely it's too soon to be expecting any kind of cup glory...
