Manchester United will go in search of a sixth League Cup title this afternoon when they meet Southampton at Wembley (4.30pm kick-off).

Jose Mourinho’s men have got past Manchester City, West Ham, and Hull en route to this afternoon’s showpiece, and are currently embarking on an excellent run of form.

The Red Devils have won their last five games in all competitions, the latest of which coming on Wednesday away at Saint-Etienne in the Europa League, and have lost just once in their last 25 matches.

That dates back to the start of November, and since then United have reached this afternoon’s final, have reached the last 16 of the Europa League and last eight of the FA Cup, as well as closing the gap on the Premier League’s top four to just two points with 13 games remaining.

Victory for United today would be Mourinho’s fourth League Cup title, and the club’s first since 2010 when they beat Aston Villa 2-1 in the final under Sir Alex Ferguson.

So, with the build-up well underway ahead of today’s clash at Wembley, here are THREE reasons why United will win the League Cup this afternoon…

Excellent run of form

United’s 1-0 victory over Saint-Etienne on Wednesday night means that they have lost just one of their last 25 games in all competitions.

Their only defeat since going down 2-1 at Fenerbahce back on November 3 came away at Hull in the second leg of their League Cup semi-final last month, but it wasn’t enough to dispose them of a place in today’s final.

Other than that, Mourinho’s men have won 18 of those 25 matches, including their last five in a row, and have only failed to score once in that time, when they drew 0-0 at home to Hull in the Premier League at the start of February.

With just one defeat in domestic football since October, United are on an excellent run of form, and will certainly take some stopping at Wembley this afternoon.

Fine record against the Saints

Despite two recent losses to Southampton, both of which came at Old Trafford in the Premier League under Louis van Gaal, United have a fine record against the South Coast side.

The Red Devils won their only meeting so far this season with a 2-0 success back on August 19, thanks to a brace from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, which was their 17th victory over the Saints in the 23 games they’ve played since the turn of the millennium.

Their cup record against them is also impressive, as you have to go all the way back to 1992 for Southampton’s last victory against them in cup competition, and that was when Ian Branfoot’s side beat Sir Alex Ferguson’s men 4-2 on penalties in an FA Cup fourth round replay at Old Trafford.

Other than that though, United haven’t lost any of their other seven cup clashes since the Saints thumped them 4-1 in the League Cup back in 1986, and their fine record against the South Coast outfit must give them great confidence going into today’s encounter.

Mourinho chasing history

Victory for Mourinho’s United this afternoon would be the club’s sixth League Cup title, which would take them into second alone behind Liverpool on the all-time winner’s list.

And for Mourinho himself, a fourth title would take him level with Brian Clough and Sir Alex Ferguson at the top of the list, and he’d also become the fourth manager to have won the competition with two different clubs, behind Joe Mercer (Man City and Aston Villa), George Graham (Arsenal and Tottenham), and Ron Atkinson (Sheffield Wednesday and Aston Villa).

Add in the fact that the Portuguese has never been beaten in a League Cup final, winning all three in charge of Chelsea, and it’s going to be a mighty ask to stop United and indeed Mourinho from a historic win this afternoon.

Ferguson won the League Cup with United in his first season in charge back in 1991/92, and look what that paved the way for – Mourinho will be hoping for something similar should he lift the League Cup trophy this afternoon.