It's not often that Arsenal take on Manchester City as favourites but that's what fell before them on Sunday afternoon.
Yet, City are no minnows, we know that by now. They are serial winners and proved as much at Wembley, swatting the Gunners aside with relative ease in the Carabao Cup final.
The first of four trophies Arsenal could have won this term was taken away from them, and in pretty dismal fashion too, particularly if you are connected with the Londoners.
Havertz-Gyokeres-Rice-Arsenal
Mikel Arteta's men showed very little fight, losing 2-0. Full-back Nico O'Reilly, celebrating his birthday this weekend, scored both goals, notably capitalising on a terrible error from Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal.
Why Kepa started for Arsenal at Wembley
The question on everybody's lips at full-time was why did Arteta choose to start Kepa? It's a very good one too.
The Spaniard signed to play second fiddle to David Raya last summer and while he has not earned many minutes this term, he has started every single round in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup this season. That's pretty normal, really, but what's not normal is starting your backup 'keeper in a major final.
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Raya has proven himself to be one of, if not the best goalkeeper in the Premier League this season and has been very error-free. He's made some exceptional saves and is one of the big reasons Arsenal sit clear of City in the race for the title. He should have started against Guardiola's team on Sunday.
Had the 30-year-old been between the sticks, then it's highly unlikely City would have scored either of their goals.
The opener from O'Reilly came at a timely moment. The game had reached the hour and City smelt blood. Arsenal came out for the second half and seemingly refused to play football.
City sensed this was their moment but even they could not have imagined scoring the opener in the way they did. Kepa spilt a cross right into the path of the left-back who could not miss from a matter of yards out.
While Kepa could not do much about the second, another strike from O'Reilly, it was a wretched evening for the Spaniard who, let's be honest, should not play another minute in an Arsenal shirt.
This was an incredible opportunity to end a six-year trophy drought but the Gunners simply wasted it. Had they picked Raya, things may well have turned out rather differently.
Gabriel-Kepa-Calafiori-Arsenal
That said, Arrizabalaga is not the only underperformer who should be nowhere near the Arsenal starting lineup right now.
Arteta must drop £27m Arsenal star
For the most part, Arsenal had dealt with the threat that Man City posed. Antoine Semenyo had the beating of Piero Hincapie down the right channel but Erling Haaland got very little change out of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.
Arsenal player ratings vs Man City
Kepa - 3/10
Ben White - 4/10
William Saliba - 7/10
Gabriel Magalhaes - 7/10
Piero Hincapie - 4/10
Martin Zubimendi - 5/10
Declan Rice - 5/10
Bukayo Saka - 4/10
Kai Havertz - 3/10
Leandro Trossard - 4/10
Viktor Gyokeres - 4/10
We all know how good Arsenal are at the back and it's probably just as well given how turgid their forward line has looked for a lot of 2026 to date.
Bukayo Saka looks a shadow of his former self but his fellow winger in the shape of Leandro Trossard was not much better on the left-hand side of the attack.
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Truth be told, the Belgian has had a peculiar season, one that started incredibly well but has begun to fizzle out in recent months.
Indeed, after the first 22 matches of the ongoing campaign, the former Brighton man looked like one of the best wingers in the country, scoring eight times and registering six assists. However, 2026 has not been kind to Trossard, with the £27m signing having failed to score in 17 straight games.
His form has deteriorated significantly and his performance against City was just as worrying as some of the displays we've seen from him in the last few months.
Trossard vs Man City
Minutes played
Touches
Accurate passes
Key passes
Shots
Shots on target
Dribbles
Crosses
Fouled
Possession lost
Ground duels won
Aerial duels won
Like Saka, Trossard had a distinct lack of threat down the flanks. Taken off in the 82nd minute, he left the field having completed just 26 touches, 12 fewer than Kepa, and made only eight passes. For context, that's one pass every ten minutes he was on the pitch.
In that time, he also failed to perform a dribble, registered just one key pass and only had one shot, which was blocked.
Trossard-Arsenal
The left wing at Arsenal has been a problem for a number of years now and it's alarming that in 2026, Arteta is still having to rely on him and Gabriel Martinelli to make a difference in the final third.
This was a day for big game figures and for so long, Trossard has been their clutch player. Yet, that clutch ability has disappeared this year. While the Gunners may well win a trophy or two before the campaign is out, the Belgium international should be nowhere near the starting XI as they aim to finish the season strongly.
Carabao-Cup-Arsenal-Man-City Related
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Arsenal suffered defeat in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.