43-Year-Old Goalkeeper Defies Time: Joe Murphy's Remarkable Journey from League Cup Final to Replay, 24 Years Apart

Leicester City's impressive 4-0 victory against Tranmere Rovers in the League Cup on Tuesday evening would have just been another routine win for a Premier League team over lower division opposition. However, what made this match particularly memorable was a unique line-up selection that caught the attention of fans and pundits alike.

For the second year in a row, the two sides were drawn against one another in the Carabao Cup - and for a second year in a row, Joe Murphy tended the Tranmere Rovers goal.

Here's the good bit, though: an 18-year-old Murphy had also started for Tranmere against Leicester in the 2000 League Cup final.

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Tranmere's Joe Murphy faces Leicester City in League Cup 24 years on from same fixture in 2000 League Cup final

Murphy has been far from a one-club man in the interim, turning out for a long list of clubs that includes West Brom, Walsall, Scunthorpe, Coventry, Huddersfield, Bury and Shrewsbury.

But the Irishman returned to Prenton Park in 2020 and has twice been given the opportunity to relive Tranmere's unlikely trip to Wembley for the League Cup final in 2000.

Tranmere threatened to pull off an upset that day when David Kelly cancelled out Matt Elliott's opener in the 77th minute, only for the centre-back to restore Leicester's lead four minutes later.

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