The 1993 Football League Cup final took place on 18 April 1993 at Wembley Stadium, and was played between Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday. Arsenal won 2–1 in normal time, in what was the first of three Wembley finals between the two sides that season; Arsenal and Wednesday also met in the FA Cup final of that year (which went to a replay), the first time ever in English football. The match was the first match in which any European clubs had used squad numbers and player names on their shirts. On this occasion, as in the FA Cup final and replay that year, players wore individual numbers which were retained for the FA Cup finals. Coincidentally, the first occurrence of players wearing numbered shirts came on 25 August 1928, when Arsenal and Chelsea wore numbered shirts in their matches against The Wednesday (renamed Sheffield Wednesday soon after) and Swansea Town, respectively. Squad numbers became compulsory for Premier League clubs from August 1993. In the game, Wednesday's John Harkes scored the opener in the 8th minute, before Paul Merson equalised for Arsenal. Merson then set up Steve Morrow for the winner. In the celebrations after the match, Arsenal skipper Tony Adams attempted to pick up Morrow and parade him on his shoulders, but Adams slipped and Morrow awkwardly hit the ground. He broke his arm and had to be rushed to hospital. Unable to receive his winner's medal on the day, he was eventually presented with it before the start of the FA Cup Final the following month.

Match details

Match rules: 90 minutes 30 minutes extra-time if necessary Replay if scores still level Two named substitutes, both of whom may be used

Road to Wembley

Arsenal

Round 2, 1st Leg: Millwall 1–1 Campbell at Highbury Round 2, 2nd Leg: 1–1 Campbell at The Old Den (Arsenal win 3–1 on penalties) Round 3: Derby County 1–1 Campbell at Baseball Ground Round 3 Replay: 2–1 Campbell, Wright at Highbury Round 4: Scarborough 1–0 Winterburn at McCain Stadium Round 5: Nottingham Forest 2–0 Wright (2) at Highbury Semi-final, 1st Leg: Crystal Palace 3–1 Smith (2), Wright at Selhurst Park Semi-final, 2nd Leg: 2–0 Linighan, Wright at Highbury

Sheffield Wednesday

Round 2, 1st Leg: Hartlepool United 3–0 Bright, Watson, Wilson at Hillsborough Stadium Round 2, 2nd Leg: 2–2 Bright, Warhurst at Victoria Park Round 3: Leicester City 7–1 Bart-Williams, Bright (2), Hirst, Watson (2), Worthington at Hillsborough Stadium Round 4: QPR 4–0 Bright, Hirst, Nilsson, Palmer at Hillsborough Stadium Round 5: Ipswich Town 1–1 John Sheridan at Portman Road Round 5 Replay 1–0 Warhurst at Hillsborough Stadium Semi-final, 1st Leg: Blackburn Rovers 4–2 Harkes, John Sheridan, Warhurst (2) at Ewood Park Semi-final, 2nd Leg: 2–1 Bright, Hirst at Hillsborough Stadium