1999 FA Cup Final three league games all season. They had also qualified for the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final against Bayern Munich, due to be played four days later on 26 May, and were unbeaten in their previous 31 matches in all competitions. By contrast, Newcastle United had finished 13th out of the 20 teams in the Premier League, and had been knocked out of the Cup Winners' Cup in the first round and the League Cup in the fourth round. It was Newcastle's second consecutive appearance in the FA Cup Final – having lost 2–0 to Arsenal in 1998 – and their
2014 Football League Cup Final to Wembley since 1998 when they lost to Charlton Athletic in the First Division play-off final. By winning the final, Manchester City would have qualified for the third qualifying round of the 2014–15 Europa League, but they qualified for the Champions League via their league position. Thus, the Europa League berth was given to Tottenham Hotspur, the team that finished sixth in the Premier League. Manchester City began their League Cup campaign in the Third Round due to their involvement in the UEFA Champions League. In that round, they were drawn against Football League Championship team and FA Cup holders,