Arsenal and Manchester City promise an intense battle of two managers who face off in this huge Carabao Cup Final at Wembley.
A few weeks ago, when the Premier League seemed like a close race, the EFL Cup final was earmarked as a game that could give the finalists an edge in the title race. However, things have drastically changed for Arsenal in a good way, as Mikel Arteta’s side now enter this big Wembley showdown with a nine-point lead over Manchester City.
It is no longer a game billed to have a direct effect when it comes to the title race, and to an extent, the pressure is off Arsenal’s shoulders. The reason for that is that Arteta has managed to steer his side clear at the top, while also reaching the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League and FA Cup, thus fuelling talk of a quadruple.
That is not to say that Arsenal will not be bothered if they end up losing this EFL Cup final, a competition they have not laid their hands on since 1993. The Gunners will be pumped to lift this trophy to kick-start one of the many potential finales ahead, and Arteta will not only want a trophy to show for his team’s efforts but also make a significant mark on his mentor and adversary, Pep Guardiola.
At the point when the title race seemed evenly poised to take shape as an intense battle between Arsenal and Manchester City, Guardiola’s side stumbled, which has since led to a huge and fatal fall. Not only are the Citizens trailing the Gunners by nine points, but they have also crashed out of the UEFA Champions League.
There are suggestions that this upcoming EFL Cup final could put Guardiola under pressure to win, as the prospect of going two consecutive seasons without silverware looms large. On paper, this cup final might seem like an opportunity to win something apart from a possible FA Cup later, but there will be a different kind of pressure on Guardiola heading into Sunday.
Guardiola has suffered some disappointments at Wembley over his last few visits and he will want to correct that. Moreover, his team looks down and out to an extent following recent results, and winning over their direct rivals will galvanise this squad to at least have a strong end to the season. However, forgetting every other narrative or reasoning to win, this is a cup final that both clubs should enter with the sole purpose of winning it.
Team News & Tactics
Arsenal
Arsenal could be boosted by the prospect of having Martin Odegaard and Jurrien Timber back in the squad for the game against Manchester City this weekend. The skipper has missed the last few weeks with a knee problem, while the right-back was taken off in the first half against Everton, which also saw him miss the Bayer Leverkusen return leg.
Mikkel Arteta insisted that he has not yet decided on their inclusion, but his suggestion that the final training session will determine their participation suggests the duo have a fighting chance. Eberechi Eze seems to have shaken off a problem from midweek, and even if Odegaard is fit, Eze is expected to start. Timber might start if fit, or else Ben White will begin the clash at right-back.
The focus in the build-up to this game has been on the goalkeepers from both teams, but unlike Pep Guardiola, Arteta did not disclose whether it will be Kepa Arrizabalaga or David Raya who starts between the sticks. Beyond that, it is difficult to see the Arsenal manager making any considerable changes, and this current lineup could be quite predictable for the game against Manchester City.
There could be one more decision on the starting No. 9, with Arteta likely to choose Viktor Gyokeres over Kai Havertz. Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi are all expected to start, while Arteta will hope to begin the game with his strongest backline, with Kepa likely to continue his cup run.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Kepa; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Eze, Trossard; Gyokeres
Manchester City
Pep Guardiola will be expected to make changes to his line-up, some enforced, with the likes of Marc Guehi ineligible to play in this competition. Josko Gvardiol is out for the season, so he will be missed, while the Manchester City boss might tinker with his defensive setup.
Guardiola has already confirmed that James Trafford will start this game ahead of Gianluigi Donnarumma, as all eyes will be on whether he makes further alterations. John Stones could be pushing to start ahead of Abdukodir Khusanov, and the manager might see the idea of having the experience of the former against Arsenal.
Ideally, it could be Khusanov and Ruben Dias at the heart of the defence, with Matheus Nunes and Rayan Ait-Nouri in the full-back roles on either side. Rodri will certainly start in the midfield role, with some suggestions that Guardiola should provide another man alongside him to have some sense of control.
The Man City boss might oblige by having Nico O’Reilly next to him, while Bernardo Silva is also expected to start in the middle of the park. Erling Haaland is certain to start up front, with Guardiola likely to use Antoine Semenyo on the left-hand side, which would further enable the manager to start Rayan Cherki. Hence, the likes of Omar Marmoush, Jeremy Doku and Phil Foden are all expected to play some part off the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Trafford; Nunes, Khusanov, Dias, Aït-Nouri; Silva, Rodri, O’Reilly; Cherki, Haaland, Semenyo
Key Stats
Arsenal are undefeated in their last six matches against Manchester City in all competitions.
Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 14 games across all competitions.
Manchester City have won only one of their last five games across all competitions.
Manchester City have won eight of their last nine Carabao Cup finals.
Player to Watch
Declan Rice
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There are a lot of players that could fall into this category, but the key area of this game is the midfield, and it will be a big battle between the players from both sides. Given the importance for either side, more so for Arsenal, Rice stands out in this regard, as this will be a key game for him in many ways.
Rice needs to bring his A-game into the equation and may not face a sterner midfield test than this one. Given the Player of the Year shouts for the Arsenal man, these are the games he might be judged for, and putting in a strong performance on Sunday would surely make him a big contender for the accolade. However, more importantly, help his team end a long-awaited trophy drought.
Prediction
Arsenal 2-1 Manchester City
Manchester City may have the recent pedigree and experience of winning titles, but the momentum heading into this clash could play a key role. Pep Guardiola’s side have fallen behind in the title race and been dumped out of the UEFA Champions League, and there might be a sense of desperation to win silverware that plays against their ideas.
Arsenal are seemingly in a much more relaxed mindset heading to Wembley, and their form also speaks volumes about how they will approach this game. There is also pressure on them to deliver at the big stage, and Mikel Arteta will come with a plan to ensure his team lifts the Carabao Cup this time around against their modern-day arch-rivals.