Chelsea's qualification for the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League meant they entered the EFL Cup in the third round, where they were drawn away to fellow Premier League side Liverpool. After going behind, goals from Emerson Palmieri and Eden Hazard gave Chelsea a 2–1 win. In the next round, they were drawn at home to EFL Championship side Derby County. This time, Chelsea took an early lead via a Fikayo Tomoriown goal, but Jack Marriott equalised for Derby four minutes later. Another own goal, this time by Richard Keogh, put Chelsea ahead again in the 21st minute, only for Martyn Waghorn to level the scores six minutes later. Four minutes before half-time, Cesc Fàbregas scored what turned out to be the winning goal, as the second half went goalless. In the fifth round, Chelsea were drawn at home to Premier League side Bournemouth, with Hazard again proving the difference between the two sides in a 1–0 win. The semi-finals saw Chelsea drawn against London rivalsTottenham Hotspur. A Harry Kane penalty gave Tottenham a slim lead at Wembley Stadium in the first leg, but N'Golo Kanté levelled the aggregate scores after 27 minutes of the second leg. Hazard then put Chelsea in front with his third goal of the tournament in the 38th minute, only for Fernando Llorente to equalise again five minutes after half-time. The remainder of the match produced no further goals, and since the away goals rule was not in effect, the match went straight to a penalty shoot-out. Both sides converted their first two kicks each, before Eric Dier put his effort over the bar, allowing Jorginho to give Chelsea the lead. Kepa Arrizabalaga then saved from Lucas Moura, before David Luiz scored to send Chelsea to the final.
Manchester City
Manchester City had also qualified for Europe, and thus also entered the EFL Cup in the third round, drawn away to EFL League One side Oxford United. At the Kassam Stadium, Manchester City won 3–0 with goals from Gabriel Jesus, Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden. In the fourth round, they were drawn with fellow Premier League clubFulham at home. At their City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester City won 2–0 via two goals from Brahim Díaz. In the next round, they were drawn away at fellow Premier League side Leicester City. The match finished 1–1 at the King Power Stadium, with Marc Albrighton's 73rd-minute goal – the only one Manchester City conceded en route to the final – cancelling out Kevin De Bruyne's early strike, but Manchester City won the resulting penalty shoot-out 3–1 and progressed. In the two legged semi-final, Manchester City drew League One side Burton Albion. Manchester City won the first leg at the City of Manchester Stadium 9–0 in their biggest win for 31 years, with four goals from Jesus and one each from Kevin De Bruyne, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Foden, Kyle Walker and Mahrez. In the second leg at the Pirelli Stadium, Sergio Agüero scored his first goal of the competition to give Manchester City a 1–0 win and confirm their place in the final.
Pre-match
Manchester City bossPep Guardiola was thinking of playing second choice goalkeeperArijanet Muric instead of Ederson as Muric had played for the duration of City's route to the final and conceded just once. He left Muric sweating about his place by insisting that he would make a lot call on whether to play him or not.
Match
Summary
The match was overshadowed by an incident near the end of extra time, with the score at 0–0 and a penalty shoot-out looming, that saw Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga defy manager Maurizio Sarri and refuse to be substituted for Willy Caballero. Arrizabalaga ultimately stayed on the pitch, while an irate Sarri nearly stormed into the match tunnel, and was later held back by Chelsea player Antonio Rüdiger from confronting Arrizabalaga. The shoot-out, taken at the Chelsea fans' end, saw Chelsea starting: Jorginho's low, weak shot was saved by City goalkeeper Ederson, while İlkay Gündoğan sent Arrizabalaga the wrong way to put City 1–0 up. Chelsea's César Azpilicueta blasted into the top corner to level at 1–1, while Sergio Agüero's weak effort was let in under Arrizabalaga to put City ahead 2–1. Emerson's shot was too powerful and deflected into goal off Ederson for 2–2, and the scoreline remained as City's Leroy Sané had his penalty saved by Arrizabalaga. David Luiz failed to score for Chelsea when he hit the post, then Bernardo Silva's effort down the middle made it 3–2 for City. Chelsea's Eden Hazard scored with the Panenka technique for 3–3, but City's Raheem Sterling scored a high shot to win the shoot-out 4–3 and crown City as champions. After the game, both Arrizabalaga and Sarri said that the situation was a misunderstanding with Sarri believing that Arrizabalaga was too injured with a cramp to continue, but Arrizabalaga felt well enough to continue.
