Arsenal saw their quadruple hopes go up in smoke at Wembley as they were comfortably beaten by Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday
Mikel Arteta watches on as his side lose in the Carabao Cup Final
Mikel Arteta watches on as his side lose in the Carabao Cup Final(Image: AFP or licensors)
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Mikel Arteta says Arsenal will have “fire in their belly” to win trophies after their Carabao Cup final heartbreak.
The Gunners saw their quadruple dreams end in tatters after losing to Manchester City but Arteta says defeat will only give them more motivation. Arteta ensured all his heartbroken players watched City’s trophy lift as a mark of respect but also hopes it will lift them in the title race, FA Cup and Champions League.
Gunners boss Arteta said: “We had eight amazing months with this team. Today is a disappointment. We need to use that fire in the belly for the next two months to have an incredible season. That's on us and we'll manage that energy in the right way. Now we have to go through that pain and disappointment and it's normal and it's part of football.
“Very sad, very hard one to take, especially for our players and our supporters because we know how much it means to them and how much we want it, and the fact that we haven't managed to deliver that obviously is disappointing and sad, and it leaves you with a really bad taste.
“But we wanted to show respect and they won the cup and I think you have to wait for that moment when they lift it and once they've done that and they're going to have their own celebration.
“Every time you have a defeat or a draw, if that's the consequences, then you have to be prepared because that will happen when you play 70 games. It’s bound to happen at some point. But when it’s happened before this season, we haven't allowed that to happen, we have to prove it, we have to do it again.
“The good thing is that we have a very recent history, how this team has reacted in those moments and I'm sure that we're going to do it again."
A very disappointing day for the Arsenal boss against his mentor
A very disappointing day for the Arsenal boss against his mentor(Image: 2026 Chris Brunskill/Fantasista)
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Arsenal were beaten by two goals from Nico O’Reilly but they came after a huge mistake by Gunners No.2 keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga who started ahead of No1 David Raya as reward for playing through the rounds of the competition.
But Arteta insisted he had no regrets on starting Kepa because he said he had made a promise to his reserve keeper.
Arteta added: “I understand that but I have to do what I feel is right, which is honest and which is fair and I think we have understanding with Kepa, he's played all the competition and I think it would have been very, very unfair for him and for the team to do something different.”
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