Goals galore: the biggest scorelines in EFL Cup history
A 12-goal tie between Dagenham & Redbridge and Brentford at Victoria Road in round one of the EFL Cup on 13 August 2014 is the joint‑highest scoring match in the competition's history, settled by a penalty from Brentford captain Kevin O'Connor after extra time and a shootout. Other ties across decades have produced double‑digit team totals, dramatic comebacks and an unusually long penalty shootout that required 34 spot kicks.
The EFL Cup's early rounds frequently produce unusual scorelines because clubs often use those fixtures to give experience to younger players, shake off pre‑season rust and, occasionally, attempt an early upset. That mix of selection, timing and stage has led to everything from 12‑goal thrillers to 10‑0 aggregate routs and marathon shootouts. The matches cited here span multiple decades and formats of the competition, including two‑leg ties and single‑match rounds decided in extra time or on penalties.
The Dagenham & Redbridge v Brentford tie in August 2014 produced late drama: the match was 4-4 after 90 minutes, Dagenham took the lead for the first time in the 113th minute and led 6-5 late on before Brentford's Harlee Dean scored in the 117th minute to force penalties. After Jack Connors and Ashley Chambers missed for Dagenham, Kevin O'Connor stepped up to score the winning spot‑kick for Brentford. The Arsenal v Reading fourth‑round tie on 30 October 2012 at the Madejski Stadium also finished as a 12‑goal affair, Arsenal winning 7-5 after being 4-0 down by the 35th minute and going on to settle the result in extra time.
Wycombe Wanderers' encounter with Aston Villa at Adams Park on 20 September 2005 produced a remarkable second‑half turnaround. Villa manager David O'Leary admitted his side were "on the verge" of being part of a cup shock after trailing 3-1 at half‑time, a position earned through goals from Nathan Tyson, Roger Johnson and Tommy Mooney. Milan Baros and James Milner hauled Villa level before a Craig Easton own goal, two strikes from Gareth Barry and further goals from Milner and Steven Davis completed Villa's seven‑goal response in the second half.
A two‑leg tie from the Milk Cup era saw West Ham United overhaul Bury at the Boleyn Ground on 25 October 1983 after a narrow first‑leg advantage at Gigg Lane. West Ham raced to a 5-0 half‑time lead with Alvin Martin, Trevor Brooking and Tony Cottee among the scorers; Cottee completed a hat‑trick before the break and added a fourth later on. Alan Devonshire, Ray Stewart (from the spot) and a late Brooking strike followed as West Ham reached double figures across the tie.
Manchester City's semi‑final first leg against Burton Albion at the Etihad on 9 January 2019 produced a heavy one‑sided scoreline in a later stage of the competition. Gabriel Jesus scored four times while Kevin de Bruyne, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Phil Foden, Kyle Walker and Riyad Mahrez also scored against the League One visitors; the second leg finished 1-0 at the Pirelli Stadium, sealing a 10–0 aggregate victory for City. Nigel Clough recalled that Pep Guardiola had invited him in for a glass of wine and quipped he hoped the Spaniard had "more than a glass." The match also noted the challenge for roughly 3,000 Brewers fans who had to contend with M6 disruption to reach the Etihad.
League champions Liverpool delivered a 10‑goal demolition of Fulham at Anfield on 23 September 1986, a match in which Steve McMahon scored four and missed a penalty. Ian Rush and John Wark scored early, Ronnie Whelan added another and McMahon struck either side of Wark's second; later goals from Rush, McMahon and Steve Nicol completed what was described as the club's biggest victory in domestic competition. Liverpool then won the second leg 3-2 to advance 13-2 on aggregate.
A more recent record resides in a penalty marathon: Preston North End and Fulham drew 1-1 at Deepdale in the third round on 17 September 2024 before producing the longest penalty shootout in League Cup history. A total of 34 spot kicks were taken, 31 were converted, Fulham's Timothy Castagne missed his attempt and Preston midfielder Ryan Ledson — who had scored the game's opener in the 36th minute — fired in the decisive penalty, booking Paul Heckingbottom's side a place in round four; the shootout surpassed the previous record set in 2016 when Derby County beat Carlisle United 14-13 on penalties.
