Arsenal v Birmingham City (1600 KO): The first silverware of the English football season is on the line at Wembley, with the Gunners searching for their first trophy in six years
City, meanwhile, are in their first major game at Wembley since 1956 and start with a defensive five across midfield but have plenty of players with finals experience
Despite the tag of underdogs, Birmingham cause Arsenal problems and should earn a penalty when Lee Bowyer is brought down only for the ex-Newcastle and West Ham man to be ruled offside
The Bluenoses keep constant pressure on the Londoners, bullying Andrey Arshavin and Alex Song, though Samir Nasri and Robin van Persie provide the customary flair Arsenal are known for
And that pressure pays off as Birmingham take a deserved lead from a set piece, Roger Johnson winning a header at the edge of the box and Nikola Zigic, the tallest player in the top-flight, flicking the ball in to the net
Goals change games - Jack Wilshire cracks the Birmingham bar, Arshavin gets the ball back in and Van Persie hooks the ball home, hurting his foot, and it's the favourites who are disappointed to hear the half-time whistle
Despite Keith Fahey rattling the Arsenal post, the Gunners string together several good opportunities, thwarted each time by former final penalty hero Ben Foster in the Birmingham goal, though Van Persie must limp off
The Londoners will rue those chances as Laurent Koscielny and Wojciech Szczesny spill the ball to City sub Obafemi Martins who puts the ball in to an empty net on 88 minutes
Arsenal were contenders for a quartet of trophies at kick off but lose to a goal that triggers Martins' obligatory backflips and rewards the hard work of Bowyer, Ferguson, Fahey and Foster, who is named man of the match
Birmingham City, League Cup winners in 1963 over two legs, regain the honour in 2011 in a single final that comes down to a single error but the Blue side of the nation's second city won't care
Manchester City 1-1 Fulham: Mark Hughes visits his former employers, still pushing for the league title, but sees his current charges, beaten only once in seven league games, boss much of the opening exchanges
The first half is notable only for Mario Balotelli's long-range strike, the Italian's ninth goal in 15 games for City, and Clint Dempsey's temperament, which requires captain Danny Murphy to calm
The Cottagers draw level with a lovely goal - Brede Hangeland's ball down the right to Andy Johnson, Johnson's first-time cross and Duff's one-touch finish - while Tevez and Balotelli go close for the home side
West Ham United 3-1 Liverpool: With rumours of a two-year contract in the works Kenny Dalglish, 60 this week, takes his Liverpool side to London for the second time in his new tenure
Dalglish might be searching for his third straight win against opponents from the capital but Avram Grant's side - fighting for their estimated �40m Premier League survival - stand in his way
Ex-Hammer Glen Johnson goes for Liverpool before Scott Parker interchanges passes with Lars Jacobsen and Thomas Hitzlsperger and crowns a beautiful team goal with an exquisite shot off the outside of his right boot
The Irons have a second before half time through Demba Ba, the Senegalese striker slipping between Liverpool's three centre halves and adding to his two debut league goals at West Bromwich Albion
Though Luis Suarez does little in the game beyond occupying James Tomkins' pocket the Uruguayan finally makes enough space for himself in the box to lay the ball across the goal for Johnson to score against his old club
As the Reds push men on for an equaliser Hammers substitute Carlton Cole outmuscles Martin Skrtel and beats Pepe Reina at his near post, sealing a win that aids West Ham and dampens a late Liverpool run for fifth place
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