(CNN)Pep Guardiola will have at least one trophy to defend when he takes over at Manchester City next season.
His
soon to be new charges beat Liverpool in a penalty shootout at Wembley
to win the English League Cup, the first silverware on offer in the
current campaign.
Willy Caballero saves a penalty from Adam Lallana of Liverpool as his side won the shootout 3-1 to win the final.
The match had finished tied at 1-1 after extra time.
City's
second choice goalkeeper Willy Caballero repaid the faith placed in him
by current manager Manuel Pellegrini with a stunning hat-trick of saves
in the penalty finale.
It
left the way for Yaya Toure to clinch it 3-1 with the decisive penalty,
sparking scenes of celebration among the City players and supporters.
A
goal early in the second half from Fernandinho after a dreadful blunder
by Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet put City ahead before Philippe
Coutinho leveled in the 83rd minute with a crisp low shot, his side's
first shot on target of the final.Manchester City's Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho celebrates after
putting his side ahead in the English League Cup final against
Liverpool.
Philippe Coutinho celebrates with Jordan Henderson in pursuit after equalizing for Liverpool against Manchester City at Wembley.
Before
that, Raheem Sterling wasted two chances to put the game out of
Liverpool's reach and Sergio Aguero was upended by Alberto Moreno with
strong penalty claims waved away.
Mignolet,
who had performed heroics in the fist half when turning away an Aguero
shot onto the post, atoned for failing to keep out Fernandinho's
shot-cum-cross from an angle with crucial saves to deny Toure in the
closing moments and Aguero in the first half of extra time.
Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet tips away Sergio Aguero's first half shot onto the post.
Argentina's
Caballero, who has endured a difficult time since following Pellegrini
from Malaga, also showed his worth by saving from Divock Origi's
header.
Penalty drama
It
left the two sides to battle it out from the penalty spot, with
Liverpool taking an early lead as Fernandinho's effort hit the post.
But
it swiftly turned around as Caballero kept out efforts from Lucas,
Coutinho and Adam Lallana, ending the match in tears as he was mobbed by
teammates.
"It's a huge moment for me and my family," he told Sky Sports.
It was Manchester City's second League Cup
triumph in three years and could act as a springboard as it did in the
season before last for a successful challenge for the English Premier
League title.
With a game in hand it
trails leader Leicester by nine points and is also heading for the
quarterfinals of the Champions League after an excellent 3-1 last 16, first leg win at Dynamo Kiev in midweek.
For
Liverpool, it was a bitter disappointment in Jurgen Klopp's first
season in charge, with only the Europa League, where it plays Manchester
United in the last 16, offering any hope of silverware.
The
two sides will also meet again in midweek in an English Premier League
match, with City hoping to cut the gap at the top. Its regular
goalkeeper Joe Hart, who has sat out the League Cup campaign, will
likely return with Caballero dropping to his normal place on the bench
after his heroics.
Barca marches on
Meanwhile
in Spain's La Liga, Guardiola's old club Barcelona kept its vice-like
grip on the title race with a 2-1 win over Sevilla later Sunday.
Vitolo
gave the impressive visitor an early lead in the Nou Camp before Lionel
Messi leveled with a brilliant free kick before halftime.
Barca's winner from Gerard Pique came just after the break, set up by Luis Suarez.
It
leaves them eight points clear of second placed Atletico Madrid, with
arch rival Real Madrid a further four points adrift, extending an
unbeaten run to 34 games.
