# 1988–89 Football League Cup

The 1988–89 Football League Cup (known as the Littlewoods Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 29th season of the Football League Cup, a knockout competition for England's top 92 football clubs. The competition started on 29 August 1988 and ended with the final on 9 April 1989.
The final was contested by First Division teams Nottingham Forest and holders Luton Town at Wembley Stadium in London.

## First round
### First leg

| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date |
| AFC Bournemouth | 1–0 | Bristol Rovers | 30 August 1988 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 1–0 | Chester City | 30 August 1988 |
| Bristol City | 1–0 | Exeter City | 30 August 1988 |
| Bury | 2–1 | Wrexham | 30 August 1988 |
| Cambridge United | 1–2 | Gillingham | 30 August 1988 |
| Cardiff City | 0–1 | Swansea City | 30 August 1988 |
| Carlisle United | 1–1 | Blackpool | 30 August 1988 |
| Colchester United | 0–0 | Northampton Town | 30 August 1988 |
| Crewe Alexandra | 1–1 | Lincoln City | 30 August 1988 |
| Doncaster Rovers | 1–1 | Darlington | 30 August 1988 |
| Fulham | 2–2 | Brentford | 30 August 1988 |
| Grimsby Town | 0–1 | Rotherham United | 30 August 1988 |
| Hartlepool United | 2–2 | Sheffield United | 30 August 1988 |
| Hereford United | 0–3 | Plymouth Argyle | 29 August 1988 |
| Leyton Orient | 2–0 | Aldershot | 30 August 1988 |
| Notts County | 5–0 | Mansfield Town | 30 August 1988 |
| Port Vale | 3–2 | Chesterfield | 30 August 1988 |
| Rochdale | 3–3 | Burnley | 30 August 1988 |
| Scarborough | 1–1 | Halifax Town | 31 August 1988 |
| Scunthorpe United | 3–2 | Huddersfield Town | 30 August 1988 |
| Shrewsbury Town | 2–2 | Walsall | 30 August 1988 |
| Southend United | 2–0 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 30 August 1988 |
| Stockport County | 0–1 | Tranmere Rovers | 29 August 1988 |
| Torquay United | 0–1 | Reading | 30 August 1988 |
| West Bromwich Albion | 0–3 | Peterborough United | 31 August 1988 |
| Wigan Athletic | 0–0 | Preston North End | 29 August 1988 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3–2 | Birmingham City | 30 August 1988 |
| York City | 0–0 | Sunderland | 30 August 1988 |

### Second leg

| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date | Agg |
| Aldershot | 0–0 | Leyton Orient | 6 September 1988 | 0–2 |
| Birmingham City | 1–0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 6 September 1988 | 3–3 |
| Blackpool | 3–0 | Carlisle United | 6 September 1988 | 4–1 |
| Brentford | 1–0 | Fulham | 6 September 1988 | 3–2 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 0–1 | Southend United | 7 September 1988 | 0–3 |
| Bristol Rovers | 0–0 | AFC Bournemouth | 7 September 1988 | 0–1 |
| Burnley | 2–1 | Rochdale | 6 September 1988 | 5–4 |
| Chester City | 3–1 | Bolton Wanderers | 7 September 1988 | 3–2 |
| Chesterfield | 1–1 | Port Vale | 6 September 1988 | 3–4 |
| Darlington | 2–0 | Doncaster Rovers | 6 September 1988 | 3–1 |
| Exeter City | 0–1 | Bristol City | 7 September 1988 | 0–2 |
| Gillingham | 3–1 | Cambridge United | 6 September 1988 | 5–2 |
| Halifax Town | 2–2 | Scarborough | 6 September 1988 | 3–3 |
| Huddersfield Town | 2–2 | Scunthorpe United | 6 September 1988 | 4–5 |
| Lincoln City | 2–1 | Crewe Alexandra | 7 September 1988 | 3–2 |
| Mansfield Town | 1–0 | Notts County | 6 September 1988 | 1–5 |
| Northampton Town | 5–0 | Colchester United | 6 September 1988 | 5–0 |
| Peterborough United | 0–2 | West Bromwich Albion | 7 September 1988 | 3–2 |
| Plymouth Argyle | 3–2 | Hereford United | 6 September 1988 | 6–2 |
| Preston North End | 1–0 | Wigan Athletic | 6 September 1988 | 1–0 |
| Reading | 3–1 | Torquay United | 7 September 1988 | 4–1 |
| Rotherham United | 1–0 | Grimsby Town | 6 September 1988 | 2–0 |
| Sheffield United | 2–0 | Hartlepool United | 6 September 1988 | 4–2 |
| Sunderland | 4–0 | York City | 6 September 1988 | 4–0 |
| Swansea City | 0–2 | Cardiff City | 20 September 1988 | 1–2 |
| Tranmere Rovers | 1–1 | Stockport County | 5 September 1988 | 2–1 |
| Walsall | 3–0 | Shrewsbury Town | 6 September 1988 | 5–2 |
| Wrexham | 2–2 | Bury | 6 September 1988 | 3–4 |

## Second round
### First leg

| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date |
| AFC Bournemouth | 0–4 | Coventry City | 27 September 1988 |
| Barnsley | 0–2 | Wimbledon | 27 September 1988 |
| Birmingham City | 0–2 | Aston Villa | 27 September 1988 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 3–1 | Brentford | 27 September 1988 |
| Blackpool | 2–0 | Sheffield Wednesday | 27 September 1988 |
| Darlington | 2–0 | Oldham Athletic | 27 September 1988 |
| Derby County | 1–0 | Southend United | 28 September 1988 |
| Everton | 3–0 | Bury | 27 September 1988 |
| Hull City | 1–2 | Arsenal | 28 September 1988 |
| Leicester City | 4–1 | Watford | 28 September 1988 |
| Leyton Orient | 1–2 | Stoke City | 27 September 1988 |
| Lincoln City | 1–1 | Southampton | 28 September 1988 |
| Liverpool | 1–0 | Walsall | 28 September 1988 |
| Luton Town | 1–1 | Burnley | 27 September 1988 |
| Manchester City | 1–0 | Plymouth Argyle | 28 September 1988 |
| Middlesbrough | 0–0 | Tranmere Rovers | 28 September 1988 |
| Millwall | 3–0 | Gillingham | 27 September 1988 |
| Northampton Town | 1–1 | Charlton Athletic | 27 September 1988 |
| Norwich City | 2–0 | Preston North End | 28 September 1988 |
| Nottingham Forest | 6–0 | Chester City | 28 September 1988 |
| Notts County | 1–1 | Tottenham Hotspur | 27 September 1988 |
| Oxford United | 2–4 | Bristol City | 28 September 1988 |
| Peterborough United | 1–2 | Leeds United | 27 September 1988 |
| Port Vale | 1–0 | Ipswich Town | 26 September 1988 |
| Portsmouth | 2–2 | Scarborough | 27 September 1988 |
| Queens Park Rangers | 3–0 | Cardiff City | 28 September 1988 |
| Reading | 1–1 | Bradford City | 28 September 1988 |
| Rotherham United | 0–1 | Manchester United | 28 September 1988 |
| Scunthorpe United | 4–1 | Chelsea | 27 September 1988 |
| Sheffield United | 3–0 | Newcastle United | 27 September 1988 |
| Sunderland | 0–3 | West Ham United | 27 September 1988 |
| Swindon Town | 1–2 | Crystal Palace | 27 September 1988 |

### Second leg

| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date | Agg |
| Arsenal | 3–0 | Hull City | 12 October 1988 | 5–1 |
| Aston Villa | 5–0 | Birmingham City | 12 October 1988 | 7–0 |
| Bradford City | 2–1 | Reading | 12 October 1988 | 3–2 |
| Brentford | 4–3 | Blackburn Rovers | 12 October 1988 | 5–6 |
| Bristol City | 2–0 | Oxford United | 11 October 1988 | 6–2 |
| Burnley | 0–1 | Luton Town | 11 October 1988 | 1–2 |
| Bury | 2–2 | Everton | 11 October 1988 | 2–5 |
| Cardiff City | 1–4 | Queens Park Rangers | 11 October 1988 | 1–7 |
| Charlton Athletic | 2–1 | Northampton Town | 11 October 1988 | 3–2 |
| Chelsea | 2–2 | Scunthorpe United | 12 October 1988 | 3–6 |
| Chester City | 0–4 | Nottingham Forest | 12 October 1988 | 0–10 |
| Coventry City | 3–1 | AFC Bournemouth | 11 October 1988 | 7–1 |
| Crystal Palace | 2–0 | Swindon Town | 12 October 1988 | 4–1 |
| Gillingham | 1–3 | Millwall | 11 October 1988 | 1–6 |
| Ipswich Town | 3–0 | Port Vale | 11 October 1988 | 3–1 |
| Leeds United | 3–1 | Peterborough United | 12 October 1988 | 5–2 |
| Manchester United | 5–0 | Rotherham United | 12 October 1988 | 6–0 |
| Newcastle United | 2–0 | Sheffield United | 12 October 1988 | 2–3 |
| Oldham Athletic | 4–0 | Darlington | 11 October 1988 | 4–2 |
| Plymouth Argyle | 3–6 | Manchester City | 12 October 1988 | 3–7 |
| Preston North End | 0–3 | Norwich City | 11 October 1988 | 0–5 |
| Scarborough | 3–1 | Portsmouth | 12 October 1988 | 5–3 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 3–1 | Blackpool | 12 October 1988 | 3–3 |
| Southampton | 3–1 | Lincoln City | 11 October 1988 | 4–2 |
| Southend United | 1–2 | Derby County | 11 October 1988 | 1–3 |
| Stoke City | 1–2 | Leyton Orient | 11 October 1988 | 3–3 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 2–1 | Notts County | 11 October 1988 | 3–2 |
| Tranmere Rovers | 1–0 | Middlesbrough | 11 October 1988 | 1–0 |
| Walsall | 1–3 | Liverpool | 12 October 1988 | 1–4 |
| Watford | 2–2 | Leicester City | 11 October 1988 | 3–6 |
| West Ham United | 2–1 | Sunderland | 12 October 1988 | 5–1 |
| Wimbledon | 0–1 | Barnsley | 12 October 1988 | 2–1 |

## Third round
### Ties

| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date |
| Aston Villa | 3–1 | Millwall | 2 November 1988 |
| Bradford City | 1–1 | Scunthorpe United | 2 November 1988 |
| Bristol City | 4–1 | Crystal Palace | 1 November 1988 |
| Everton | 1–1 | Oldham Athletic | 8 November 1988 |
| Ipswich Town | 2–0 | Leyton Orient | 1 November 1988 |
| Leeds United | 0–2 | Luton Town | 2 November 1988 |
| Leicester City | 2–0 | Norwich City | 2 November 1988 |
| Liverpool | 1–1 | Arsenal | 2 November 1988 |
| Manchester City | 4–2 | Sheffield United | 2 November 1988 |
| Nottingham Forest | 3–2 | Coventry City | 2 November 1988 |
| Queens Park Rangers | 2–1 | Charlton Athletic | 2 November 1988 |
| Scarborough | 2–2 | Southampton | 2 November 1988 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 0–0 | Blackburn Rovers | 1 November 1988 |
| Tranmere Rovers | 1–0 | Blackpool | 1 November 1988 |
| West Ham United | 5–0 | Derby County | 1 November 1988 |
| Wimbledon | 2–1 | Manchester United | 2 November 1988 |

### Replays

| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date |
| Arsenal | 0–0 | Liverpool | 9 November 1988 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 1–2 | Tottenham Hotspur | 9 November 1988 |
| Oldham Athletic | 0–2 | Everton | 29 November 1988 |
| Scunthorpe United | 0–1 | Bradford City | 22 November 1988 |
| Southampton | 1–0 | Scarborough | 22 November 1988 |

### 2nd Replay

| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date |
| Liverpool | 2–1 | Arsenal | 23 November 1988 |

## Fourth round
### Ties

| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date |
| Aston Villa | 6–2 | Ipswich Town | 30 November 1988 |
| Bradford City | 3–1 | Everton | 14 December 1988 |
| Bristol City | 1–0 | Tranmere Rovers | 29 November 1988 |
| Leicester City | 0–0 | Nottingham Forest | 30 November 1988 |
| Luton Town | 3–1 | Manchester City | 29 November 1988 |
| Queens Park Rangers | 0–0 | Wimbledon | 30 November 1988 |
| Southampton | 2–1 | Tottenham Hotspur | 29 November 1988 |
| West Ham United | 4–1 | Liverpool | 30 November 1988 |

### Replays

| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date |
| Nottingham Forest | 2–1 | Leicester City | 14 December 1988 |
| Wimbledon | 0–1 | Queens Park Rangers | 14 December 1988 |

## Fifth Round
### Ties

| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date |
| Bradford City | 0–1 | Bristol City | 18 January 1989 |
| Luton Town | 1–1 | Southampton | 18 January 1989 |
| Nottingham Forest | 5–2 | Queens Park Rangers | 18 January 1989 |
| West Ham United | 2–1 | Aston Villa | 18 January 1989 |

### Replay

| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date |
| Southampton | 1–2 | Luton Town | 25 January 1989 |

## Semi-finals

Nottingham Forest, flying high in the First Division, had a narrow victory over Third Division underdogs Bristol City in the semi-finals, while holders Luton Town enjoyed a comfortable triumph over West Ham United in both legs.

### First leg

| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date |
| Nottingham Forest | 1–1 | Bristol City | 15 February 1989 |
| West Ham United | 0–3 | Luton Town | 12 February 1989 |

### Second leg

| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date | Agg |
| Bristol City | 0–1 | Nottingham Forest | 26 February 1989 | 1–2 |
| Luton Town | 2–0 | West Ham United | 1 March 1989 | 5–0 |