Everton have never won the League Cup, but a two-time winner of the competition believes lifting the Carabao Cup would be huge for the club. Stephen Carr, who won the trophy with Tottenham Hotspur in 1999 and Birmingham City in 2011, spoke about the value of domestic cup success for clubs like Everton.
Everton's Trophy Drought and League Cup History
Despite having collected nine League Championships and five FA Cups, the Blues have never triumphed in English football's tertiary competition since its inception in the 1960/61 season. Everton have twice been beaten in the final: by Aston Villa following a second replay in 1977, the only time the deciding match has gone to three games, and by neighbours Liverpool following a replay in 1984.
The club has not reached the semi-finals since Roberto Martinez was in charge in 2015/16. After not collecting major silverware since the 1995 FA Cup success, Everton are currently on the longest trophy drought in the club's history.
David Moyes' Side Eyeing Quarter-Final Spot
David Moyes' men can reach the quarter-finals this week if they defeat 2025 winners Newcastle United at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Thursday night.
Speaking courtesy of BetVictor, Carr said: "Big clubs treat domestic cups more seriously now because winning a trophy at Wembley relieves pressure and gives fans a memorable day out, even for sides like Everton."
He added: "Winning trophies like the League Cup with Spurs or Birmingham means everything to the supporters, regardless of how outsiders rank the competition."
'Winning Breeds a Successful Mentality'
The 50-year-old former Republic of Ireland international continued: "It is a big trophy when you're not winning trophies. Tottenham did it again when Robbie Keane was the captain, I think it's a good stint as well and meant the world to the fans."
Carr also said: "Domestic cups carry huge value for fans and help build a winning culture within a squad, taking pressure off managers when successful. European football is a priority for big sides, but historic competitions like the FA Cup have huge prestige globally and shouldn't be undervalued."
He concluded: "I think it's changed because that got a little bit devalued over time which is poor really because the history of it is unbelievable. I think winning breeds a successful mentality. Balancing fixture congestion is the challenge, but traditional cup competitions remain special in world football. Winning it would be huge for a team like Everton."
