5 League Cup ties that Rafa Benitez won't forget

Rafa Benitez guided Newcastle United into the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup this week.
Ayoze PerezAyoze Perez
Ayoze Perez

Benitez's classy side hammered Preston North End 6-0 at St James's Park on Tuesday night.

Newcastle will face Hull City at the KCOM Stadium in the last eight late next month.

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Benitez (and Newcastle, for that matter) have been losing finalists in the League Cup, which was rebranded the EFL Cup this season.

Here we recall some of Benitez's ups and downs in the competition:

Liverpool 2 Chelsea 3 (AET)

The 2005 final, played at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium in front of a crowd of 78,000, was taken in extra time by a 79th-minute goal from Steven Gerrard, Benitez's Liverpool captain. But Chelsea scored two more goals in the second period to win the game 3-2.

Tottenham Hotspur 1 Liverpool 1 (AET, Liverpool win 4-3 on penalties)

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On their way to the final in 2005, Liverpool were drawn away to Tottenham Hotspur in the quarter-finals. The 90 minutes at White Hart Lane ended goalless, and a penalty from Florent Pongolle cancelled out Jermain Defoe's 108th-minute opener. Liverpool won 4-3 on penalties

Liverpool 3 Arsenal 6

Bentiez guided Liverpool to another quarter-final in the 2006-07 season. They were handed a home draw against Arsenal in January 2007. Liverpool still went out of the competition – despite scoring three goals. Eventual finalists Arsenal won 6-3 at Anfield.

Leeds United 1 Chelsea 5

Chelsea were drawn away to Leeds United in the last eight of the Capital One Cup in late 2012. Chelsea went behind in the first half, but they scored FIVE unanswered goals after the break to win 5-1 and storm into the last four. Juan Mata and Eden Hazard were among the Chelsea scorers.

Newcastle United 6 Preston North End 0

Admittedly, Newcastle were playing a weakened Preston North End team, but this week's 6-0 fourth-round win was still memorable. United played with power and panache, and Simon Grayson's side were fortunate the scoreline wasn't even more embarrassing. Christian Atsu twice hit the woodwork.