Sitting nine points behind Arsenal at the top of the Premier League, Manchester City looked to send a statement when the sides met for this season’s Carabao Cup final.
Arsenal - who were still fighting on all fronts in all competitions - were desperate to get that first trophy over the line.
Pep Guardiola had other ideas, as a second half brace from Nico O’Reilly saw his fired up Blues come away with the cup - the ninth in the club’s history.
Here are four things we learnt from a day to remember at Wembley.
City can beat Arsenal
Since City famously won the treble in 2023, they have faced Arsenal seven times, and until Sunday, hadn’t won once.
In September, the teams had to settle for a point at the Emirates where, last season, **Mikel Arteta**’s side ran out 5-1 winners.
With the Gunners running away with the Premier League title this term and tipped for success across the board, some people believed that City’s winning mentality was waning. Would they accept being second-best?
The short answer: no. Their out of possession structure and press were excellent, they played with intensity and simply seemed more motivated than their opponents, getting to almost every second ball first.
Building up from the back, they were as composed as ever, and they showed real threat from wide areas. With the sides set to meet again next month at the Etihad, this result could have a knock-on effect in the title race.
Nico O’Reilly: Hometown hero
Last season, Nico O’Reilly made his breakthrough for City in their run to the FA Cup final, playing a vital role in wins over Plymouth and Bournemouth.
Such was the consistency of his performances, the Manchester native locked down a starting spot in an unnatural left-back position.
This season, O’Reilly has gone from strength to strength. The 21-year-old has continued to excel at left-back, while also showing his quality in midfield in recent months.
Despite his most recent start at left-back coming in a 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, O’Reilly returned to the back four at Wembley and was exceptional.
Combative. Tidy. Excellent movement. With those two headed goals, the local lad certainly made his mark on this final, with England manager Thomas Tuchel watching on.
James Trafford is ultra reliable
When James Trafford returned to the Etihad in the summer, he didn’t expect to be the club’s ‘cup keeper’.
With Guardiola’s side still in both domestic cups, the goalkeeper has now played 13 times in all competitions this term.
Much has been made of the 23-year-old’s reported discontent at the club after they brought in Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain late in the summer transfer window, but he was trusted to start this final, and boy, did he repay that trust.
While Arsenal didn’t create much in the way of clear-cut chances, Trafford did everything expected of him and more; that triple save early in the game was hugely impressive and vitally important at that stage.
Just a week after Donnarumma was at fault as City dropped points at West Ham, the Blues may just have a dilemma on their hands.
Nathan Aké has still got it
With Marc Guehi cup-tied and ineligible to start the Wembley final, it seemed like City’s only feasible centre-back pairing could be Ruben Dias and Abdukodir Khusanov.
That was until a couple of hours before kick-off, when reports of a Dias hamstring injury filtered through to those in sky blue.
Step up, Nathan Aké, who had started just 13 matches in this campaign beforehand.
Any doubts, however, were quickly put to bed by an all-action performance from the Dutchman.
Forming part of a City back four that was formidable in the capital, the 31-year-old rolled back the years with a vintage display, timing several challenges to perfection.
A calm head and a leader at the back, Ake was rock solid both with and without the ball.
Ultimately, all 11 of Guardiola’s players stepped up and helped deliver a masterful team performance, and a big cup win.