Mikel Arteta has the chance to secure Arsenal’s first trophy of the season this afternoon, when his side travel to face Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
The Gunners come into the game on a 14-game unbeaten run across all competitions, with the win against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday setting them up perfectly for the clash.
As for Pep Guardiola’s men, they come into the meeting off the back of the Champions League defeat to Real Madrid - possibly having a point to prove.
Mikel Arteta manager of Arsenal during the Premier League match Brentford vs Arsenal
The Spaniard will be looking to catapult the North London outfit to their first League Cup triumph since the 1992/93 campaign, whilst looking to claim the second trophy of his managerial career.
If the 43-year-old is to claim victory over his compatriot and title rivals, he should look to drop one player who’s struggled over the last few matches.
Why Arteta should drop Gyokeres against Man City
After his £60m transfer to join Arsenal in the summer, huge expectations were placed on the shoulders of Viktor Gyokeres to provide the goods in the final third.
The Swedish international has endured a stop-start life in North London to date, subsequently only managing to find the back of the net 16 times in his 41 appearances.
Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres celebrates after the match
Many were expecting more from the 27-year-old at the Emirates, especially after registering a staggering 54 goals in his 52 matches for Sporting CP last term.
However, Gyokeres has now only scored once in his last five appearances under Arteta, with his showing against Leverkusen in midweek certainly one to forget.
He featured for 89 minutes of the European clash and could only register 34 touches of the ball and lost 100% of his aerial battles - highlighting his lack of impact on proceedings.
The Swede also only registered a solitary effort on goal whilst losing possession on 12 separate occasions - often being wasteful when the ball fell his way.
The Arsenal star who could become the next Aubameyang
Whilst striker Gyokeres has struggled to adhere himself to supporters, former attacker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a player who never had to endure such struggles.
arsenal-fa-cup-trophy-aubameyang-mikel-arteta
The Gabonese international, who joined from Borussia Dortmund back in 2018, spent four years at the Emirates - amassing a total of 163 appearances across all competitions.
His goalscoring record is what made the supporters fall in love, subsequently finding the back of the net on 92 occasions - an average of one goal every 1.7 outings.
The 36-year-old netted a double in the Gunners’ last cup final against Chelsea back in 2020, with Arteta unable to secure any silverware since such a day at Wembley.
However, current striker Gabriel Jesus could emulate the feat of Aubameyang this afternoon, if he’s given the opportunity to start from the off by the manager.
The Brazilian has been an impressive attacking option for the Gunners over the last couple of weeks, after returning to action after his latest injury setback.
Gabriel-Jesus-Arsenal
He’s now featured in 20 matches so far this term, subsequently managing to find the back of the net on five occasions - but none of which have been in the Carabao Cup.
However, he has popped up with key goals in vital matches, as seen with his double away at Inter Milan in the 3-1 Champions League victory at the San Siro.
Jesus has now failed to start a single game since the FA Cup triumph over Mansfield Town at the start of the month, but he’s deserving of a chance to start the final this afternoon.
The Brazilian, who’s been dubbed “sensational” by Dougie Critchley, has produced numerous impressive figures this season - with many of which allowing him to emulate Aubameyang in scoring in a cup final.
jesus arsenal
He’s registered a 64% shot on target accuracy rate so far this campaign, whilst also managing to place 2.7 shots on target per 90 so far throughout 2025/26.
If he can replicate such numbers against his former employers, he could further cement his place as a fan-favourite in North London, whilst showcasing the mistake Guardiola made in letting him leave.
Gabriel Jesus - stats in 2025/26
Statistics (per 90)
Games played
Goals scored
Shot on target accuracy
Shots on target
Touches in 18-yard box
Pass accuracy
Successful dribbles
Aerials won
He’s also registered a staggering 9.1 touches in the opposition box per 90 this term - with such a figure ranking him in the top 3% of all attackers in the division.
His poacher and fox-in-the-box nature could be perfect for such a clash, with Arteta’s side needing to take full advantage of the changes that fall their way in the opposition area.
Jesus-Arteta-Arsenal
Aubameyang’s feat against Chelsea six years ago certainly isn’t to be sniffed at, with Jesus needing to have the chance to emulate the feat at Wembley this afternoon.
Gyokeres has demonstrated that he can’t be trusted to lead the line on a consistent basis, with Arteta needing to make the bold selection call to enhance his side’s chance of claiming silverware.
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