SAINTS and Manchester United meet in the EFL Cup final at Wembley on Sunday.

Here, the Daily Echo looks at some facts and figures surrounding the showpiece occasion.

Saints have defeated Premier League opposition at each stage since their participation in this season's competition began in the third round. They overcame Crystal Palace, Sunderland, Arsenal, and then Liverpool over the semi-final's two legs. They are the first team to ever reach the final beating top flight opposition in every round.

United only avoided other top-flight teams in the third round, when they visited League One Northampton. Thereafter, they eliminated Manchester City, West Ham, and in the semi-finals Hull.

This will be the 56th League Cup final. The first, in 1960/61, was won by Aston Villa over two legs against Rotherham Twenty-three different teams have won the League Cup. Liverpool have the most wins with eight. United have lifted the cup on four occasions while Southampton have never won it.

The 2005 League Cup, then known as the Carling Cup, represented Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho's first trophy in English football. His Chelsea team defeated Liverpool 3-2 in extra-time.

During his two managerial reigns at Chelsea, Mourinho won the League Cup on two further occasions, in 2007 and 2015. As in 2005, Chelsea's 2015 victory won him his first trophy of that spell at the club.

United's last League Cup success came in 2010, and came after further recent victories in 2006 and 2010.

Wayne Rooney played in each of those finals, scoring in 2006 and 2010. Michael Carrick and Antonio Valencia of the current squad also appeared in 2010, when United defeated Aston Villa 2-1.

Saints’ only previous final appearance came in 1979, when they lost 3-2 to Nottingham Forest.

Saints’ last major cup final came in 2003, when they lost 1-0 to Arsenal in the FA Cup final.

United and Saints most recently met in cup competition in January 2011. On that occasion United, that season's Premier League champions, won 2-1 in the FA Cup at the team that would finish runners-up in League One.

The biggest win in a one-legged League Cup final is Swansea'a 5-0 victory over fourth tier Bradford in 2013. Ex-Saint Nathan Dyer scored twice.

From next season until 2020, the competition will be known as the Carabao Cup after a new sponsorship agreement was reached. The previous seven sponsors are Capital One, Milk, Littlewoods, Rumblelows, Coca-Cola, Worthington, and Carling.