Arsenal and City face off at Wembley this weekendplaceholder image
Arsenal and City face off at Wembley this weekend | Getty Images
A look at the pundit predictions for Arsenal’s Carabao Cup final with Manchester City.
But this standalone battle could go either way, with finals always coming down to who can handle the nerves and the pressure the best. City have more experiences in these situations, and the Carabao Cup has been one of their specialties, but Arsenal do appear to have more quality in their squad this season.
Here we round up the predictions from BBC Sport’s Chris Sutton and SportsKeeda’s Paul Merson to see how they compare.
Chris Sutton
“I don't think this game has any bearing on the Premier League title race. The narrative that has been doing the rounds for a long time is that whoever wins this game wins the title, but that is not the case now - City are not catching Arsenal whatever happens at Wembley.
“City are out of the Champions League now but I have got to say I thought they were brilliant on Tuesday against Real Madrid, before and after they went down to 10 men. They went for it and they were not just brave, they created plenty of chances.
“With the nature of the Premier League this season, I think this will be a very different game, however. I fear this will be a really ugly and dull encounter, where both teams avoid taking risks. Prediction: 0-0 after extra time, City to win on penalties.”
Paul Merson
“Arsenal have that swagger about them. They know they are good. Eberechi Eze likes playing at Wembley too. He scored in the final and lifted the FA Cup with Crystal Palace at Wembley last season. I think he keeps his place in the starting line-up for this game.
“(...)The big decision that Arsenal need to make is whether they go with Kepa Arrizabalaga or David Raya in goal. Kepa has been first-choice in the Carabao Cup and I think they should stick with him. It's only fair because he played well and got you to this stage.
“But I must admit, Raya is world-class! The saves he made against Everton and Leverkusen, absolutely phenomenal. However, if I were the manager, I would still stick to my principles and choose Kepa as the keeper for the final. He's not let the team down in this competition and deserves to start.
“If I had to pick a team, I would go Arsenal. However, that doesn't mean it will be easy. We know Manchester City can play and if they get going, they can hurt any team.
“I believe the quadruple dream is still very much on if the Gunners win this final. The Premier League is done and dusted, they have a good draw in the FA Cup and face Sporting in the Champions League quarter-final. I know they could face Barcelona or Atletico in the semi-final, but we all know how difficult they are to beat as a unit. So I'm not giving up hopes! Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Manchester City.”
Continue Reading