Jose Mourinho: Finals are not for playing, they are for winning

Chelsea 2, Tottenham 0:

There was a real nod to the past at Wembley as John Terry – man of the match when Chelsea beat Liverpool at the Millennium Stadium 3-2 a decade ago – received the same accolade again after scoring the opener and inspiring a comfortable Capital One Cup victory over Tottenham, in which a Kyle Walker own goal added to Chelsea’s celebratory mood.

It may also have been a glimpse of what lies ahead as Mourinho ended his own personal trophy drought (he hadn’t won silverware with Chelsea or Real Madrid since 2012) with a victory that could be the first of many. The League Cup of 2005, remember, was quickly followed by back-to-back title wins; and having seen Manchester City lose at Liverpool just before Chelsea walked out on the hallowed turf, leaving them with a five-point lead and a game in hand, there is every reason to believe history will now repeat itself.