EFL Cup Final Report: Manchester United v Southampton 26 February 2017
Result: Manchester United 3-2
Southampton
Date: 26 February 2017
Venue: Wembley Stadium
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was the hero on the day, as Manchester United were crowned EFL Cup champions by defeating Southampton 3-2 in the final.
Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick had to make do with a place on the bench, while Jesse Lingard replaced the injured Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
The Saints had the ball in the back of the net after 10 minutes when Gabbiadini slotted home from close range, but the striker was flagged offside, although replays suggested he was onside.
United eventually broke the deadlock after 19 minutes when Zlatan Ibrahimovic curled home a fine free-kick from 25-yards out.
Southampton struggled to get into the United box, forcing them to shoot from distance as Dusan Tadic and Sean Davis forced David De Gea into a couple fine saves.
The Red Devils doubled their lead five minutes before the break as Marcos Rojo played Lingard, who calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner.
The Saints pulled a goal back on the stroke of halftime as Manolo Gabbiadini poked past De Gea from three-yards out, after a cross from James Ward-Prowse.
Southampton then leveled matters three minutes into the second half as Gabbiadini grabbed his second with a fine volley from 12-yards out.
The Saints nearly took the lead after 63 minutes but Oriel Romeu saw his header crash against the upright with De Gea well beaten.
Jose Mourinho opted for a change after 76 minutes as Marus Rashford replaced Lingard, while Sofiane Boufal replaced Tadic for Southampton.
However, the Red Devils secured the win and the title in the 87th minute as Ibrahimovic grabbed his second of the game by heading home Ander Herrera's cross.