Monday 27 February 2017 13:53, UK
Manchester United defeated Southampton in the EFL Cup final on Sunday - but what have previous winners and runners-up gone on to achieve in respective seasons?
What are the omens for Southampton after their impressive, but unsuccessful display at Wembley and will Manchester United proceed to claim a top-four finish and enjoy FA Cup and Europa League success?
We look back at previous League Cup winners and examine how their seasons panned out after reaching the final.
League Cup winners have won fewer points per game after claiming the trophy since 2006/07 - dropping from 1.83 to 1.69, on average.
Only Manchester United and neighbours Manchester City, in 2009/10 and 2013/14, respectively, have improved their league form after lifting the cup during the period.
City's improved end-of-season form in 2013/14 helped the Citizens win the league and deny Liverpool their first Premier League crown.
But Manchester United recorded the highest points-per-game ratio during a League Cup-winning season over the last 10 years in 2008/09, with 2.36.
That season, United almost completed the quadruple - winning the Premier League, losing the Champions League final against Barcelona and reaching the FA Cup semi-final.
Liverpool suffered the biggest drop in league form after winning the League Cup in 2011/12, slipping from 1.6 points per game to just one point - finishing the season in eighth place.
The following season, Swansea endured a similar slump after defeating League Two Bradford City in the League Cup final, ending the season in ninth.
However, Birmingham City ended up being relegated to the Championship after winning the trophy in 2010/11, dropping from an average of 1.15 points per game to 0.75.
In contrast to the winners, previous League Cup runners-up have marginally improved their league form, on average, after losing the final since 2006/07.
Chelsea experienced an upturn of league form after losing their League Cup final against Tottenham in 2007/08, after Avram Grant replaced Jose Mourinho at the helm in late September.
The Blues went from an impressive average of 2.12 points per game to a remarkable 2.5 points per game, helping them finish second in the league, just two points behind Manchester United - who also defeated Chelsea in the Champions League final.
Tottenham completed an incredible turnaround in 2008/09 after rising from the relegation places to finish eighth in the league, having sacked Juande Ramos and replaced him with Harry Redknapp early in the season.
Spurs averaged just over one point per game before losing the League Cup final 4-1 on penalties to Manchester United, but reaped nearly two points per game after the defeat.
League Two Bradford City also improved their league form after losing to Swansea in the 2012/13 League Cup final, from 1.42 to 1.67 points per game - finishing the season in seventh and winning promotion via the play-offs.
Southampton will be hoping the runners-up omens will see them complete a top-half finish, while Manchester United will look to defy the declining trend of previous winners to finish in the top four and seek FA Cup and Europa League success.
